When is tomato sweetest?

[James]

Does leaving them on the vine till totally red taste any better than picking them a week or so before?

Does chilling or cooking improve flavor?

I don't got that much to experiment so I'm asking.

[Marcella Peek]

I like most tomatoes when they just get soft around the stem area. ipe

Chilling tends to make tomatoes mealy. Room temp is much better. Cooking depends on the variety, but it's a different flavor

marcella

[Jim Elbrecht]

In my opinion-- and with my experience with only a dozen or so varieties, yes. Your taste buds, and different varieties may vary.

Again- IMO, & IME - Chilling *steals* flavor. Cooking *changes* flavor.

Drying, though, imo -- and mostly with Roma tomatoes in an inexpensive dehydrator, fully ripened & sliced lengthwise to 1/4 inch- sweetens them up a notch. Once dried I store them in a freezerbag & have used them in salads and sauces several years later with no change in flavor.

Next year plant more & try a few varieties. Different varieties like different weather conditions, so you're more likely to get a variety that loves 'this years conditions'.

Jim

[FDR]

I heard somewhere that dried tomatos have more carbohydrates tnan non-dried. Guess that's why they taste sweeter.

Once dried I store them in a freezerbag & have