Many people cut their cherry tomatoes in half to make a salad, but that’s not necessarily a good idea.
In gastronomy, each ingredient plays a crucial role in the taste, texture and overall appearance of a dish. For a salad, one of the main actors is often the cherry tomato, this little red pearl bursting with flavor and freshness. If you have a habit of cutting them in half before adding them to your salads, it may be time to reconsider this practice. Here’s why.
First of all, cherry tomatoes are flavor concentrates. Each small sphere houses an impressive amount of juice and seeds, which are released as soon as you cut it. By leaving the cherry tomatoes whole, you preserve that burst of flavor for the moment of tasting. It’s a taste surprise that adds dynamism to your salad.
In addition, their skin is a natural barrier that retains moisture inside. Once cut, the cherry tomato begins to lose water. In a salad, this can lead to a diluted dressing and a less pleasant mouthfeel.
Then, the aesthetic aspect is to be taken into account. Whole cherry tomatoes provide a pop of bright color and contrast in shape with the other salad ingredients. They catch the eye and turn your dish into a work of culinary art. Cut they are sad and less vibrant.
Finally, consider practicality. Cutting cherry tomatoes can be a tedious and potentially dangerous task if you’re not comfortable with a knife. Leaving them whole is safer and saves you time.
However, a little trick is to be taken into account: prick each cherry tomato with a fork to make 3 small holes. What interest ? This will allow your vinaigrette to penetrate the cherry tomato and therefore flavor it better. Likewise if you add aromatic herbs.
For all these reasons, the next time you prepare a salad, leave the cherry tomatoes whole. Not only will they be tastier and prettier, but they will also contribute to a better dining experience. The cherry tomato is small, but it has a lot to offer if allowed to express itself in its entirety. So, to your salads, and enjoy the simple pleasure of a whole cherry tomato.