I do remember being taught that tomatoes are a fruit. And in China, cherry tomatoes are sold at the fruit stand along with bananas and apples. The fruit tray you eat at the end of your meal in a fancy restaurant has cherry tomatoes on it. And peeled, quartered tomatoes are sprinkled with sugar before being served. So I guess it’s logical and consistent. But it still felt odd, so I bought a pack to show you!
They taste sweet, just sweet, not like tomatoes at all. But if you meditate on the tomato image on the package, you can just barely imagine a hint of tomato flavor.
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Isn’t that something! My boys *love* tomatoes.
Does the candy retain any of the nutritional value of tomatoes? Lycopene? Anything?
In Jamaica we served sliced tomatoes sprinkled with sugar too.
I used to have a recipe for tomato ice cream. I also know several people who eat sugar on their tomatoes. (bleh!) And I’ve seen tomato jam here too. So, although it is strange, maybe it’s not so unusual.
I seriously doubt it. But who knows?
That immediately brings to mind eating a piece of hard ketchup. Ewwww!
When I was little, my Korean grandmother would always serve us a snack of tomato wedges sprinkled with white sugar. YUMMY!!! Asians do love their fruits and sweets. We even sprinkled white sugar on watermelon! I remember the first church picnic we went to here in Texas. I was disgusted by the fact that people around here like to sprinkle SALT on their tomatoes and watermelon. What weirdos, huh? LOL
Wow! Too funny. Being in Alabama with 15 tomato plants in our vegetable garden, it never occurred to me to eat them any other way than with salt & pepper! Thanks for this post as it will give us something to consider when we are drowning in tomatoes in a few more weeks (at least I hope we are–this is our first ever veg. garden!).
It’s all relative, isn’t it? I made red beans with ham and salt, and my Chinese friends were horrified. They said, “You can’t do that. Red beans should be sweet.” LOL!
We all have traditions that seem strange to someone. Even in your own home town! My husband and I grew up in the same town, but to him putting salt on watermelon was unheard, whereas everyone I knew salted their watermelon. And he does not like tomatoes! Maybe if I sweeten them up he might change his mind.
I thought it was funny about meditating on the picture you can almost taste the tomato flavor.
I have never heard of putting sugar on tomatoes! I will have to try that sometime. In fact, I need a snack before bed and I have a tomato that needs eaten soon…hmm.
Jimmie, I am glad to finally try click on the link from your other blog. I kept wondering where you had gone to and I’ve seen you here and there on other yahoo groups. So glad to know your blogging days aren’t over. I have learned so much about China and its people reading your blog.