Kitchen Tip: Reconsider Seeding Those Tomatoes
June 13, 2008
This kitchen tip comes from the July and August Cook’s Illustrated. The test kitchen examined whether removing the seeds and jelly from a tomato, as many recipes call for, has any effect on the final flavor of the food.
The conclusion? The recipe with the seeds and jelly was significantly more flavorful. Apparently this area contains three times as much glutamic acid as the flesh of the tomato. What is glutamic acid, you say? I had the same question, so I turned to the trusty On Food and Cooking, by Harold McGee. Glutamic acid is an amino acid that adds depth of flavor to foods, with descriptions such as savory and brothy. Concentrated, glutamic acid is MSG.
In the end, this glutamic acid adds some serious flavor to the tomato, so consider leaving the seeds and jelly in the next time you are cooking.
Posted in Food Science, Kitchen Tips |
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June 13th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Andy
Amen bro. I strongly agree. Unless someone specifically can not eat seeds, I always leave the seeds and jelly in all my fresh tomato creations. It’s the “heart and soul”………the “personality” of the tomato.
June 15th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
I heartily agree too. Thank you for letting us know there is actual scientific evidence. Stay away from the powdered MSG though.
June 22nd, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Right on! I always leave the tomato innards. Thanks for such an informative post–I didn’t know about the glutamic acid.