Welcome to tomato_kumato! I’m new at this, so we’ll see how it goes. I basically want to share my love/any knowledge I have about food on this blog.
As an inaugural post, I guess I should explain this blog’s title. A few weeks ago, I was at my local fruit market here on Long Island, where I’m working for the summer, known as the Fruit King.
The man who was working there noticed me checking out what looked like a heirloom tomato, and he came over to explain in broken English/Urdu that it was actually a Belgian engineered “Kumato.”
I was hesitant at first, but I read the packet the man provided for me and learned that not only is the Kumato all natural, but people all over the world are already enjoying it and using it in place of a regular tomato. Kumatoes have a stronger, harder skin than a regular tomato, and therefore a longer shelf life. Basically, a Kumato is a tomato that ripens from the inside out, so upon cutting into it, you get all that delicious juiciness without having it go bad and bruise on the outside. I don’t know how the Belgians did it, but they invented french fries and waffles too, so I think we’d just better sit back and enjoy.
I took the Kumato home, sliced and salted it, and made my mother and brother my guinea pigs. We all agreed that it was just as sweet and tasty, if not sweeter, than a regular tomato. I have always liked the idea of mixing multicolored tomatoes in salads, but have found that orange and yellow tomatoes are usually blander than the red ones. I mixed the Kumatoes with tomatoes and used them in my family’s recipe for bruschetta for dinner that evening. The bruschetta was a big hit, and ever since, we have been stocking Kumatoes next to our collection of tomatoes.
emiglia
Bruschetta
1 loaf day old crusty Tuscan bread
2 roma tomatoes
2 kumatoes
2 cloves of garlic, minced, plus one, halved
5 basil leaves
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt
Dice tomatoes and kumatoes and place in a large glass bowl with mixed garlic, salt to taste, and chiffonade of basil. Combine with a wooden spoon. Add olive oil, and toss lightly to combine. Cover with a dishtowel and leave in a room temperature place for an hour.
Before serving, slice bread and place under the broiler to warm. Sprinkle cut sides of garlic with salt, and then rub bread slices with garlic. Top with tomato mixture and enjoy.
I am so glad I found you. I have added you to my favourites.
I too am a foodie and love cooking and especially love kumato’s. The flavour is so intense.
At present I am dieting, difficult for a foodie, and yesterday had a sandwich lunch that consisted of 2 slices of bread, no butter, filled with shredded crisp lettuce, kumato and freshly cooked green asparagus, but very al dente, sprinkled with a litte salt……delicious. Who would have thought that dieting could be so good !!
I look forward to exploring all your recipes
Filly mum
Hello.
As an American living in Europe, I can get my hands on Kumatos, but I didn’t think Americans could (yet). My parents live up in CT. Any idea where they can find them?
Thanks!
Do you know if they are GM free?
Yes, Kumatoes are GM free. They are a hybrid of previously existing European varieties, cultured by Syngenta, a Swiss (not Belgian) company. The Kumato is also marketed in the US as “Rosso Bruno”.
Enjoy,
Chris
Dalaigh (above) asked if kumatoes could be found in CT – if CT means Cape town (South Africa_) the answer is yes!
I bought some in durbanville, cape town, last weekend, never seen them before, they were delicious! quite pricey though
We have them in Victoria, Australia. I work in produce. They’re delicious, some would say the perfect tomato/kumato.
I’ve just discovered them and they are delicious! and a great find for a vegetarian always on the lookout for a new flavour.
however,i’m a bit confused as the it’s origins as i found another site that says they originate from the Galapagos Islands?? wherever they’re from, they’re delicious just as they are.
I found them at Price Choppers..in CT..Excellant fruit!
Hi there,
I am from South Aafrica and i have just discovered Kumatoes…they are lovely..must admit i was a bit hesitant at first…
Slice ’em and place on a cracker smothered in Philadelphia cheese with basil leaves or even rocket…yummy…
WOW!! I came across the Kumato in a free sample display in the Stop and Shop. It looked completely un apetising but i tasted it anyway. I could not believe how much it tasted like my home grown tomatos. No supermarket tomato tastes as good as a home grown, but these come a whole lot closer. A salad looks strange so red pepers will be a good idea, but if you have not tasted a Kumato, you have missed out on something amazing.
I have recently discovered Kumatoes and I love them! I use them in place of plum tomatoes in Gazpacho – check out the recpe on my blog:
http://iwanttobelikeina.blog.com/
Thanks!
Lillie
I bought kumatos in Stop and shop this morning in newtown ct. Jury is still out on the flavor. Not as tangy as I like
I totaly agree with FOODAHOLIC these are very much like home grown tomatoes that you used to be able to buy off the farm. Tomatoes that you buy today are very much lacking taste but these kumatoes are so tasty that they are addictive to me.I definately reccomend you to try them you wont be dissappointed.
Very tasty, just picked a pack at Fox and Obel down the street in Chicago. a bit pricy though – 6 bucks for 6 tomatoes… They are almost as good as some farm tomatoes that I’ve had from the distant northwest burbs of Chicago, which in turn got the closest to the ones we used to have back home when we were growing up in Bulgaria.
I just moved to west palm beach florida. What markets carry your kumato? I can’t seem to find it anywhere!!
Where can I buy Kumato in the west palm beach florida area? SECOND REQUEST!!!
Trader Joe’s has them…
Four years after you did, I finally got one! A Christmas treat!
I just saw these today at the grocery store in 4 pack containers, all loaded up in a grocery cart marked .99 cents for 4 in a pack…thats 25 cents apeice. Although at first glance they looked rotten because of their color, I decided to give them a try. For me, it was OK…maybe I need to try another one. thanks!
Does anyone know where I could buy seeds? Would love to try them in my garden this year.
We have Kumatoes in MD. They are so good.
Official website and faq section.
It explains everything about the origin. AlmerÃa in Spain. EU
http://www.kumato.com/en/-ska-sorulan-sorular.aspx
Our family has grown our own hybrid for 80 years but I have just found the KOMATO and want more intell. Is it possible to grow from seeds of a tomato? I have never seen them before but they are incredible. I have seen a little confusion about this seed , as far as creating and reproducing . Any advice would be greatly welcomed, we are in the black hills of south dakota of the usa.
i miss you emily!
I miss you more!
Hola muy buenos dÃas nos gustarÃa saber el precio del producto, para incorporarlo en la carta de nuestro restaurante el cual esta recomendado en guia michelin, sin mas un cordial saludo.
My wife found Kumatoes at Walmart yesterday. Brought them home and we all tried them and they are a hit here at our house!
Funny I should read this blog, I was just telling a friend about these this morning. Ditto to everything said. Best to and even better than some home grown tomatoes i have grown. Worth the price, especially because they do last longer on the counter. I have purhased at Stop /Shop and Trader Joes. I was wondering if seeds were available also? Does anyone know of source?
Hey, thanks for the article.Much thanks again. Awesome.
G’day Ann and All
The best source for kumato seeds are the kumatoes themselves.
Five months ago I bought a pack of kumatoes and collected some seeds from them; left them to dry naturally for a few weeks and then planted a row of the seeds in some high quality potting mix. Within two weeks I had 19 seedlings from twenty seeds…not a bad strike rate!
I gave away 10 seedlings and kept 9, planted out in bright sunshine. The fruiting is unbelievably prolific. Lost count of the dozens of kumatoes we have given away and eaten ourselves. We’ve now made a big batch of unbelievable spicy tomato sauce and about to turn a few dozen more into a gallon of tomato soup. As well, we have nearly 50 in varying stages of ripeness on the bench near our kitchen windows and the original 9 plants have more than 100 fruit still growing…and they’re putting out more flowers!
Anybody who doesn’t grow these wondrous fruits is nuts…in Australia they retail for 13 dollars per kilo (2.2 pounds).
Cheers from Down Under
Purchased some this week at Sam’s Club as tomato growing season is over in Atlanta. Very disappointed. Tasted like a typical grocery store tomato.
(no taste because it has no smell)
As I tomato growing hobbyist, I can tell you a Black Krim is hard to beat.
Besides, the Krim is an heirloom – meaning you can save the seeds which
will produce identical fruit year after year.
They are a hybrid (not an heirloom) so you cannot regrow the exact tomato variety from the saved seeds. Nor do they sell the seeds to the public.
In Ct. I have found kumatos in Stop and Shop. Also Price Choppers in NY are now carrrying them.
hi So My son bought these at Whole foods in Houston. I squezzed a few seeds in to a big pot with good soil and I have a huge tomato or two plants. Growing but no fruit. Seems my cucumbers did not get pollinated either or something is weird here. Any Ideas??
I fell in LOVE with these beauties, the flavor was through the roof and this was in the winter, they were imported from Mexico. I was buying them at my local Walmart, then they quit carrying them around a year ago. I keep asking but to no avail, some customers are willing to pay the price for something this good.
I am in Barrie, Ontario Canada and we have them . I do love them as well and was looking on line about seeds so as I could try growing my own. Here the growing season is a little short but if I get them right started might get a harvest
They are expensive in the stores I have found them for sale but the taste is special for sure
I was just introduced to the Kumato this summer. If anyone is familiar with Maryland they know that there is nothing like a Maryland tomato! Kumatoes taste like a genuine Maryland tomato. Everyone that I have made try them are now hooked and also buying them. I only hope I can purchase them year round.