VINE RIPENED TOMATOES

When buying tomatoes, "vine-ripened" means a technique for harvesting. It does not – unfortunately – mean that the tomatoes have been harvested when perfectly ripe and bursting with flavor.

Vine-ripened tomatoes are harvested just as their red color is breaking. Keeping the attachment to the vine intact all the way to the shop results in a different – supposedly better – ripening process.

Keep in mind

These tomatoes are allowed to ripen for a longer time still united to their vine, but without it the ripening process (in the shop or in your kitchen) will come to a standstill.

How to cook vine ripened tomatoes

Just as you cook other tomatoes – and hoping that you are getting a little more ripeness and flavor for your money.

The classic

A tomato salad with Buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil.