Just thought I’d share with you… my random eating out test and perhaps odd judgement of tomatoes. Got your attention?

I love tomatoes but I have a strange issue with the stalk –  I just can’t eat it, to me it’s like the foreign bit in the tomato. I have to cut it out…

Anyway from working in the kitchen many years ago with some fantastic chefs I learnt a little trick which probably enhanced this odd “issue”. I was taught that you should always cut the stalk out of the tomato. It’s easy to do, just pop the knife into the top of the tomato at the edge of the stalk, circle around it and out it pops. According to the fantastic chefs you should do this with any tomato you serve… and I always do!

So now my little test when eating out to see how professional the chef is – the tomato test. Why don’t you give it a go next time you’re eating out? And don’t forget to let me know what you find.

Tomato tips… some other bits on tomatoes:

• Don’t store them in the fridge, they keep their flavour so much better at room temperature
• Delicious on toast with a sprinkle of pepper – thanks to my Aussie “mum” for introducing me to this
• Home grown ones taste the best – thanks to my mum for growing them!
• If you haven’t got green fingers try local tomatoes from your green grocer they’ll taste so much better than from the supermarket
• Delicious with balsamic vinegar

Send me your tomato tips I would love to try them