Strange conversation.

[Worth1]

The other day at work I had a strange conversation with a fellow worker.

It was about tomatoes, I have no idea how tomatoes got started but it did.
The guy mentioned he liked to use roma tomatoes in his salsa or something.

This person is 38 and loves to cook, he also asks me many questions about cooking.
When he said roma tomatoes I said they were tasteless and he disagreed.
He said he like the flavor and I said what flavor.
The fellow sort of has a chip on his shoulder but nothing i cant handle.
When I said there were many tomatoes that tasted much better he thought I was trying to one up him in cooking.

It was hard for me to get around this but I had to try I didn't want to leave it at that.

So I asked him if he had ever had anything besides store bought tomatoes and he hasn't.

Then I asked him if there was anything from the store he has had that just sucked compared to things he had had else where.

This was hard to do and in the end I couldn't explain how different the tastes in tomatoes were.
He simply thinks all tomatoes taste like ones from the store.

So if any of you are in the Denver area next summer give me a buzz if I cant bring any up to him myself.


I want to ruin this guy on store bought tomatoes forever.

Worth

[maf]

Don't they let you take home grown tomatoes up to Alaska (or wherever your oilfield is)? This guy needs some education.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by maf

Don't they let you take home grown tomatoes up to Alaska (or wherever your oilfield is)? This guy needs some education.

I have before but now I'm not in a situation to really grow bunches of tomatoes to take anywhere.

Worth

[Misfit]

Man... without good ingredients, you'll never cook a proper dish.

[travis]

I haven't seen a real Roma tomato in the grocery store for years now.

What is sold as "Roma" tomatoes are a plethora of varieties that today are more likely to be highly disease resistant "plum saladettes" of various sorts and from various breeders.

A few of these actually have a decent flavor ... if you leave them on the counter long enough for them to finally fully ripen, which can take quite a while in many cases. I have some "roma" tomatoes on my counter right now that I bought over 3 weeks ago, and they finally are beginning to attain a degree of ripeness in which they have a tomato-like flavor.

Of course salsa is not just tomatoes. Mine usually contains onions, jalapenos, lime juice, and cilantro. After it marinates a while, who the hell cares what kind of tomato you started with, other than hopefully one firm enough to stand up to the marinating process.

[guruofgardens]

So if any of you are in the Denver area next summer give me a buzz if I cant bring any up to him myself.

OK - so what would you like me to grow for his taste test? Does he live in/near Denver? Maybe he needs a bit of help in choosing better tomatoes!

[Fred Hempel]

If he has only eaten Roma tomatoes. He really doesn't care about tomatoes. Don't waste your time.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by travis

Of course salsa is not just tomatoes. Mine usually contains onions, jalapenos, lime juice, and cilantro. After it marinates a while, who the hell cares what kind of tomato you started with, other than hopefully one firm enough to stand up to the marinating process.

I make several different type salsas from tomato base to pepper base.
If I have good garden tomatoes I will make a fresh salsa and use a few very hot peppers to add a little heat.
If I make a pepper base salsa I dont add any tomatoes at all.
Then there are the hot fruit salsas and salsas made from canned tomatoes.
Or I just buy cheap store brand salsas there are so many to choose from here and they are good.
At no time will I use a store bought tomato to make fresh salsa (salsa fresca) unless it is the grape or cherry tomatoes.
Then it would be called Pico de gallo or in English rosters beak if more coarsely chopped.
I dont think I have made the same salsa more than one time but they are all good.

Worth

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by guruofgardens

So if any of you are in the Denver area next summer give me a buzz if I cant bring any up to him myself.

OK - so what would you like me to grow for his taste test? Does he live in/near Denver? Maybe he needs a bit of help in choosing better tomatoes!

He lives in Denver.
Any tomato would be better than what he has been eating.

Worth

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Misfit

Man... without good ingredients, you'll never cook a proper dish.

I agree completely with this statement.

Just the other day another guy I know that is also 38 and lives in the Denver area had his first hamburger at home made from ground chuck.

I had been trying to get him to do it for some time now.

Worth

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Fred Hempel

If he has only eaten Roma tomatoes. He really doesn't care about tomatoes. Don't waste your time.

You know your statement makes a lot if sense, it has been more like a red filler to him and he never knew it.

With a good tomato you dont need a lot of spices in a sauce or salsa to make it taste good.

Worth

[guruofgardens]

When the time comes this summer, I'll be more than glad to share some 'real' tasting tomatoes.

I grew Roma Grande in 2014 and actually liked the taste. Must be the soil. It's planned for '15.

If/when you're here in late August, just give me a ring if you don't have enough tomatoes to share. Hopefully I'll have quite enough.

[carolyn137]

I lived in Denver proper at 1629 Locust, one block S of the 17th Ave pkway and two streets east of Monaco Pky and was there from 1972 to 1982 and even then there were many places to buy fresh tomatoes and plants and both hybrids and OP's.

I grew them at home and loved them.

So I can't see any reason whatsoever for him not having access to great tasting varieties now in 2014/15.

Lots of Mexican markets there too where he could buy all he needs to make great salsa as well. If he's fond of cooking in general I wonder why he hasn't found those places.

Carolyn

[guruofgardens]

2014/2015. Still lots of farmers markets around here, lots of great tomato plants to buy in nurseries and even big box stores.

Lots more community gardens sprouting up in the area, so he really has no excuse for eating only the cardboard tasting fruit from the grocery store. I guess he needs some sort of push in the right direction to eat better.

Carolyn - I wish I'd known you back then, though we just moved here in '80.

[Worth1]

This is coming from a guy that thinks you can only make a roux with butter.

This is a strange bird indeed his is Mexican American that wishes he wasn't, I dont know what else to say.
I know more Spanish than he does.
He is a nice guy, 'though hot tempered and if I can help him I will in any way I can.
I will lead him to one of the farmers markets that are there.

Worth