Science - How Tomatoes Lost Their Taste
Turns out these green shoulders are a result of the same gene that controls the amount of sugar present in ripe fruits. When farmers selected for a mutation that produced uniformly red tomatoes, they sacrificed flavor.
[Image description: a hand holding a glass bowl stuffed with red plum and cherry tomatoes. Most of the plum tomatoes have splashes of green on their tops and shoulders.]
Yep, it makes me sad that so few people know how tomatoes are supposed to taste! And not just that, but the sheer variety of flavor. I wish there was more education about how food that doesn’t look perfect still makes for excellent eating. Been on my mind to reach out to local schools/scouts/youth organizations and maybe find a way to help teach kids about where their food comes from.
You might get a kick out of this guy: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/heritage-appalachian-apples
I have read about his work before! I think what he’s doing is awesome, preserving genetic diversity in our crops (and in our culture!) is so important.