A Genetic Fix to Put the Taste Back in Tomatoes • Hacker News Board

Re: A Genetic Fix to Put the Taste Back in Tomatoes

#131

Post by pif » Tue, Jan 31, 2017, 8:39 AM UTC

imaginenore wrote: post #102

foxhop wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Shop local and "real" fresh, like picked that day.

"Local" is grown from the same exact seeds as the large farms most of the time. Because of market forces local farms actually have higher overheads due to the laws of scale. You might have to pay double-triple for the variety you like.

> "Local" is grown from the same exact seeds ...

Yes, but the process is different, as it optimizes the quality at the time of picking, rather than after several days spent in a container.

Re: A Genetic Fix to Put the Taste Back in Tomatoes

#132

Post by jcoffland » Tue, Jan 31, 2017, 8:42 AM UTC

debacle wrote: post #15

Eric_WVGG wrote: post #10

There's a similar problem with popcorn. Showing my age card here, but back in the 1970's popcorn actually tasted like corn , which seems to be a difficult concept to explain to anyone under 40. It all went south around the same time that microwave popcorn became popular. People always ask if I don't like tomatoes when I eat around them in salads or remove from burgers. Nope, I love tomatoes, that's why I don't eat fl…

You can make popcorn in a saucepan, it's easy and fun. Gourmet popcorn (different kernels) also tastes far better even than the bulk kernels you can find in the store.

The real pro trick is to not put a lid on the pan. Instead use an inverted metal colander. You will get some small amount of oil on your stove top but it's worth it. This method allows the water vapor to escape which yields much lighter airier popcorn but unlike an air popper you still get all the flavor from the oil. Toasted sesame oil or coconut oil are really good.

Re: A Genetic Fix to Put the Taste Back in Tomatoes

#133

Post by pif » Tue, Jan 31, 2017, 8:43 AM UTC

psadri wrote: post #67

Eric_WVGG wrote: post #10

There's a similar problem with popcorn. Showing my age card here, but back in the 1970's popcorn actually tasted like corn , which seems to be a difficult concept to explain to anyone under 40. It all went south around the same time that microwave popcorn became popular. People always ask if I don't like tomatoes when I eat around them in salads or remove from burgers. Nope, I love tomatoes, that's why I don't eat fl…

I wish there was a brand dedicated to optimizing for taste of fruits and vegetables vs appearance. And by taste I don't mean sweetness. I'd actually optimize for less sweet fruits.

> I wish there was a brand dedicated to optimizing for taste ... vs appearance

It will happen when enough people will be ready to choose tasteful vs "cheap & looking good".

Re: A Genetic Fix to Put the Taste Back in Tomatoes

#134

Post by CannisterFlux » Tue, Jan 31, 2017, 9:17 AM UTC

debacle wrote: post #15

Eric_WVGG wrote: post #10

There's a similar problem with popcorn. Showing my age card here, but back in the 1970's popcorn actually tasted like corn , which seems to be a difficult concept to explain to anyone under 40. It all went south around the same time that microwave popcorn became popular. People always ask if I don't like tomatoes when I eat around them in salads or remove from burgers. Nope, I love tomatoes, that's why I don't eat fl…

You can make popcorn in a saucepan, it's easy and fun. Gourmet popcorn (different kernels) also tastes far better even than the bulk kernels you can find in the store.

I love doing it this way. Cheaper, tastier, less salty. And once you get the technique down it doesn't even take that much longer.

Re: A Genetic Fix to Put the Taste Back in Tomatoes

#135

Post by freddealmeida » Tue, Jan 31, 2017, 9:24 AM UTC

I've been spoiled living in Japan. The tomatoes taste amazing here. Is this more about methods? Do we really need genetic fixes? Couldn't a better process to make better tomatoes be a longer service strategy?

Re: A Genetic Fix to Put the Taste Back in Tomatoes

#136

Post by brokenmasonjars » Tue, Jan 31, 2017, 9:31 AM UTC

Eric_WVGG wrote: post #10

There's a similar problem with popcorn. Showing my age card here, but back in the 1970's popcorn actually tasted like corn , which seems to be a difficult concept to explain to anyone under 40. It all went south around the same time that microwave popcorn became popular. People always ask if I don't like tomatoes when I eat around them in salads or remove from burgers. Nope, I love tomatoes, that's why I don't eat fl…

I'm under 40, but I know what you mean. My parents always grew some corn in the garden and we'd get popcorn after we got the seeds. I don't know shit about gardening so I haven't figured this out yet.

Re: A Genetic Fix to Put the Taste Back in Tomatoes

#137

Post by abrookewood » Tue, Jan 31, 2017, 10:38 AM UTC

tornadoboy55 wrote: post #103

abrookewood wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you have anything showing that these are used in canned foods?

... are you seriously too lazy to do ctrl+t->'canned food endocrine disruptors'->enter ? And don't use the argument that the onus is on me for giving more links. If googling it is too much effort for you, how can you expect me to do it for you..?

I only asked because you listed research listing the problems with endocrine disruptors, but nothing showing they were used in cans.

Re: A Genetic Fix to Put the Taste Back in Tomatoes

#138

Post by tnmrnis » Tue, Jan 31, 2017, 12:51 PM UTC

foxhop wrote: post #95

I learned that its easier and way faster to quarter tomatoes and freeze them, then to can.

It might be easier and faster but they will lose a lot of flavour during the freezing. There's a reason you don't refridgerate tomatoes.

Re: A Genetic Fix to Put the Taste Back in Tomatoes

#139

Post by ooqr » Tue, Jan 31, 2017, 1:05 PM UTC

jcoffland wrote: post #130

ooqr wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought I disliked tomatoes as a kid, eating around them as you describe. Only when I discovered garden-grown cherry tomatoes did I flip the other way. So far the other way I'm surprised I didn't get sick eating so many of them. They're incredible.

Have you tried sungolds? They are a little smaller than cherry tomatoes, yellow-orange and even better, IMO. They are sweet but still retain a ton of tomato flavor. They also grow like crazy. If you give them something to climb on, plenty of sun and water the plants get huge. Here in CA I had them fruiting this year from May all the way into December. Finally the frost got them.

Oh man! Those are actually what I was thinking of. I used to live in CA and my folks had a plant. The thing got out of control huge.

Re: A Genetic Fix to Put the Taste Back in Tomatoes

#140

Post by aaron695 » Tue, Jan 31, 2017, 2:02 PM UTC

tornadoboy55 wrote: post #75

Eric_WVGG wrote: post #10

There's a similar problem with popcorn. Showing my age card here, but back in the 1970's popcorn actually tasted like corn , which seems to be a difficult concept to explain to anyone under 40. It all went south around the same time that microwave popcorn became popular. People always ask if I don't like tomatoes when I eat around them in salads or remove from burgers. Nope, I love tomatoes, that's why I don't eat fl…

Pro tip: never eat canned goods. The coating inside of them is loaded with endocrine disruptors. Edit: nice to see downvotes without any discourse. Keep it up HN! https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2726844/

Reasons for downvoting -

>nice to see downvotes...

HN asks people not to complain about downvoting. It karma whoring.

> Pro tip:

If you are a professional please state how? Else this is just more of the Reddits we are trying to escape.

> The coating inside of them is loaded with

Your linked article do not show it's 'Loaded with'

> without any discourse.

Seems to be a fair amount of it? Once again Reddit style making out like you're the under dog.

And the obvious

Most experts currently state there are no issues with BPA's in our diets in foods like cans, so more than one sentence is needed for this to be a constructive start to the conversation that opposes medical advice.