Tomato - How To Use
(In dry format is known as Tomato Powder)
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What is tomato powder?
Tomato powder is simply dehydrated tomatoes. The flavour is tangy and sweet, reminiscent of sundried tomatoes, and tastes much richer than a fresh tomato due to the concentrated flavour. Tomato powder is commonly used in soups, stews, and sauces to enhance the tomato flavour, and can also be mixed with water to make a quick and easy tomato paste. Tomato powder should be kept in a cool dark place and away from moisture - a cool cupboard or pantry in an airtight container should do the trick.
What flavours go with tomato?
- Anise
- Aubergine
- Avocado
- Basil
- Bell Pepper
- Caper
- Chilli
- Chocolate
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Coriander
- Cucumber
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Lemon
- Lime
- Mushroom
- Nutmeg
- Olive
- Onion
- Peanut
- Potato
- Sage
- Strawberry
- Thyme
- Vanilla
- Watermelon
Our lemon peel-infused 14th-century heritage blend Sofrito with its herby notes and tomato powder makes a great gluten-free bread for those winter lunches with soup.
Health Benefits
Tomatoes are full of antioxidants. They are low-calorie fruit - not a vegetable, as they produce seeds. Full of Vitamin A and C, this is a superfood that may combat free radicals. Research has suggested that it can protect against prostate cancer, improve bone health and protect against sunburn. Tomatoes are rich in “lycopene”, which is key for good heart health and certain cancer-fighting properties.
Interesting Facts
- Wolf Peach is the scientific translation for tomato, “Lycopericison”. We believe that tomatoes originate from Peru, and the Aztecs named them “plump things with naval” Quite a cute description, we think.
- There are over 10,000 varieties of tomatoes in the world. You can get Black, White, Purple, Yellow, Pink and of course Red tomatoes. The first tomatoes to Europe might have been yellow, called golden apples or "Pomo d'Oro".
- Bunol near Valencia is home to the world-famous Tomatina festival. It is the last Wednesday in August every year. If you wish to go to a tomato-throwing festival, this is for you. It typically lasts for two hours, and thousands of people participate.
Chief flavour profile
Lycopene is a flavour profile predominantly found in tomatoes, but it is also found in other fruits and vegetables like red carrots, pink grapefruit, papaya and watermelon. As tomatoes ripen the terpenes become more aromatic. The flavours and smells are very distinctive and there is a vast array of tomato varieties, thus having different flavour profiles.
Blends to try with Tomato
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Sofrito $12.00
Introducing Sofrito - Catalan in origin, Sofrito is a 14th Century blend of balanced and versatile Mediterranean ingredients. All-natural, salt-free and vegan. This spice mix has highlights of lemon peel, thyme and tomato powder, with citrusy and herbal notes.
Endless culinary adventures - Sofrito is the perfect all-purpose seasoning for adding depth to chicken pie, pan-fried salmon, meatballs, tomato/ragu sauces or as a natural gravy/stock. Our bread baking customers tell us that adding a teaspoon to your dough creates a delicious new flavour profile!
We mill and blend in-house. We endeavour to use the freshest spices that are within one year from field to jar with a focus on ingredients that come from regenerative farms.