Saturday 4 June 2011

Tomatoes

I give my first post to the beautiful gift of God -- tomatoes. God is very kind and merciful. That's why he made tomatoes. Tomatoes are a kind of fruit, red, juicy, sumptuous and so beautiful. Its redness gives me a high whenever I pass by some tomato baskets at a marketplace or departmental store. OOOOh tomatoes! How I love Tomatoes.
Solanum lycopersicum is its scientific name. Solanum reminds me of Solar or sun, the beautiful tomato-red sun on a beautiful naked morning and ofcourse lycopene is a good thing which saves you from cancer of various sorts. The better part is, on cooking the level of lycopene increases than in raw tomatoes or uncooked ones. Yes I do not like green tomatoes. Tomatoes are an ideal component for all kinds of dishes, savouries and all sorts of things except dessert.I should be dessert hunting with tomatoes on the dessert list next.
Ummm, can chutneys be considered as desserts? Gotta give that one a thought.
Tomatoes are native to South America. The Peru, Mexico zones. No wonder then that the Mexican dishes use a lot of tomatoes in their beautiful spicy dishes. The Spanish colonization of the Americas spread the Tomato-regime all over the world in due time.
Its not for nothing that I called tomatoes the gift of God. The Aztecs in southern Mexico were cultivating and consuming the beauty by 500 BC. They believed that those who witnessed the ingestion of tomato seeds were blessed with Godly powers. 
Taste drives people nuts. I am nuts about tomatoes too. I buy my chips in tomato flavour. My ideal lunch is incomplete without some salted and peppered pieces. And I use lots of them when I cook.
When I buy a dog someday, I will name him Tomato. Yeah, if you can call him Tom why not Tom-ato?

2 comments:

  1. welcome to the blogsphere!even if You remain hidden behind riddles. at least we have now have another space for chatting.
    But tell me, r u a chef?why tomatoes? i mean i like them in my dishes, but a whole post?
    interetsingly, neruda has a poem on tomatoes.see oif u can find it.may be it would taste better to you.

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  2. Wonderful! Neruda's poem was such a delightful read.Beautiful.Thanks a lot.I didnt know you liked Neruda.Nice.
    Why tomatoes?Good question.Lemme think.
    Well,for once do try certain things.First, get hold of a nice,red tomato.Wash it.hold it in the sunlight.Take a good look at it.Look at its redness,its colour,try to imagine yourself painting it.Touch it.Its softness yet turgidity.Its thin peel.Isnt it artistic?Have you tasted a tomato?No you did not.You ate it.Taste it.Put some salt on a piece and put it on your tongue,suck it slowly.The tangy flavour,the juice of the fruit.When you go to the market next spot the pile of tomatoes.Isnt it the most beautiful vegetable that adorns the shop?It is the sexiest vegetable you will ever find.Plump,pretty,juicy,cute and so delightful.Dont just eat tomatoes,see it,feel it.You will love it.It's called Apple of Love.
    Am I a chef? ofcourse I am. I am a lot of other things as well. I am also a chef. :)

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