All this time, have you been thinking that all that hard work and love you put into those home grown tomatoes is what makes them so delicious compared to those bland supermarket tomatoes? Apparently there is a bit more of a scientific reason for those tasteless, hard tomatoes. Years and years ago, farmers discovered a tomato trait that produced an ideal, uniform red color and shape. Taking a cue from consumer wants of perfection, they took advantage of the trait and after generations of cultivating it, most of the modern tomatoes today have that mutated gene. They didn't immediately realize that that one type of tomato was far less sweet and aromatic.
For the whole story check out the
NY Times article.
My sister sent me a collection of different types of heirloom tomato seeds for my birthday. I'm looking forward to taste tomatoes as farmers intended before the bottom line became more important than quality.
