Welcome to Fact or Fiction, a new online column in which we dive into the truth behind some well-accepted foodie wives’ tales – and reveal whether they’re fact or fiction. You shouldn’t store fresh tomatoes in the refrigerator. Fact. Refrigerating a tomato can result in a fruit that is less flavorful, crisp and aromatic when you take it out. In order for your heirloom tomatoes to truly shine this season, keep them in a paper bag until they ripen. Once they ripen (you’ll know they’re ready when they’re bright in color and slightly soft), store them at room temperature – around 55 degrees Fahrenheit, stem up and not stacked on top of one another (which can cause bruising). In this scorching heat, that means they need to be in air conditioning. If you cut a few too many for that caprese salad, however, sliced tomatoes will need to be kept in the fridge. Just wrap them in plastic wrap, and they’ll stay good in there for a few days – much longer and they, too, will lose their flavor.
Looking for some fresh ways to use your heirlooms this season? Check out our Flawless Flavor feature from the August issue for a few tasty ideas.
This article appears in Aug 1-31, 2010.