On tomatoes

[alpharaposa]

I don't much care for tomatoes. I just.. don't. I eat them, but I don't linger over the taste or really enjoy it much.

This is a problem, because somewhere in my brain, at some point, there lodged the idea that salads should have tomatoes. Okay, some salads don't, but chef salads and garden salads and taco salads all have tomatoes. And while I'm trying to come up with ideas for a pasta salad, my brain piped up and said, "And those little grape tomatoes!"

I am annoyed. Inevitably, when I actually eat these salads, I get the tomatoes out of the way or try to stack them up with other items so that I get a mix of flavors rather than just straight tomato. And yet, when I try to come up with my own salad, there's a part of me that says, "Oh, and tomatoes! Yeah, that would taste great!"

If tomatoes were a bit less tomato flavored, I think I would like them more. Same flavor, just half as strong. I think I would stop getting annoyed at seeing how many tomato bits I have left to eat. Obviously, some part of me likes the flavor, but any time I actually bite into a tomato, it doesn't take long before I've had enough of it.

Hmm, maybe I should add bacon to my pasta salad. mmmm, bacon...

Comments

[aefenglommung.livejournal.com]

Your mother makes a great salad of cooked macaroni, green onions, ham chunks, and tomatoes, well lubricated with mayo.

In salvaging a Hawaiian dish I had too much of left over, she made the same thing with pineapple chunks instead of tomatoes. It was magnificent. I highly recommend it.

So . . .

Cooked macaroni
Ham chunks
Drained pineapple chunks
Chopped green onions
Mayo

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

Mm. Pineapples.

[collinsmom.livejournal.com]

and onions.

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

Do you like sun-dried tomatoes? :)

[stryck.livejournal.com]

I don't know. I need to go shopping today; perhaps I'll pick some up.

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

They have a powerful and... well, sunny flavor. It doesn't take much of them to give a dish tomato-y ness. Plus they have a different texture. :)

[elusivetiger.livejournal.com]

Tomatoes are very very freshness-sensitive; unless they're hyper-fresh, they tend to be mushy, grainy, and taste just blah. On the other hand, a really fresh tomato has a snap, crisp, and brightness that's just incredible.

Unfortunately it can be _very_ hard to get really fresh tomatoes. :(

[that-guy-zach.livejournal.com]

everything is better with bacon!