TOOLS & TIPS FOR EVERYONE WHO LOVES TO EAT

produced by MAGGIE MEYER, ERIN SIMPSON, and M AD ISO N MAYBERRY

Tom atoes harvested before ripen ing are tangy an d firm ,

p e rfe c t fo r salsas, salads, and g rillin g In w in te r th e y ’re

expensive, b u t n o w y o u can snap th e m u p fo r 4 0

p e rc e n t less, a b o u t $3 a pou n d , say vegetable dealers.

F in d th e m in g ro c e ry sto re s a n d fa rm e rs’ m arkets.

b u y

Look for plump, well-shaped tomatoes. Avoid any

that are bruised, cracked, or soft.

STORE Some varieties are bred to stay green, but

most will ripen to red eventually. To keep the green

tomato color and taste, store in a single layer in the

refrigerator for up to two weeks.

EAT Try fried green tomatoes: Slice, dip in buttermilk,

dredge in cornmeal, and fry in a skillet with oil. You can

also stretch a bowl of guacamole with a chopped green

tomato, or add a unique flavor to salsa.

better

cook

168

JULY

2010

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS

P H O T O S : B LA IN E M O A T S ; F O O D STYLIN G : G R EG L U N A G R EEN T O M A T O E S C O U R T E S Y O F M E L IS S A ’S /W O R L D V A R IET Y P R O D U C E . M E LIS S A S .C O M