Cherry / Tomato

August 13, 2009

Just goofing off... what happens if you glue a cherry tomato to a cherry? In this case a Sun Gold tomato and a Rainier cherry. I tried to use an LM Pectin solution and plastic wrap to create the bond, and it only worked so-so, it wasn't as seamless or strong as I would have liked. Suggestions welcome.

The flavor combination was surprisingly apt, though the tomato tended to dominate. Honestly, the idea was purely based on the similar sizes. I wasn't so sure it would taste good, and it was odd enough that I couldn't even imagine the flavor very well. The result actually was enlightening - cherries and tomatoes are both tart and sweet, but with very different volatile / olfactory components. I found that tasting both at once emphasized that tomatoes are in fact a fruit. If I could get the bond right, I would definitely serve these as an amuse.

It would also be fun to do a pair of these, with the second one using dark red varieties of both fruits.

Also on the plate: lemon basil, dill flowers, Maldon (aka the world's greatest salt) salt.

12 Comments

The Italian Dish 2009-08-13 07:47:07

funny!

Fenke 2009-08-13 08:45:10

i love tomato in combination with fruit. i've tried several in the last days.. tomato and watermelon are nice with some feta cheese (not so new), but also tomato and peaches go so well together!

thepinkpeppercorn 2009-08-13 09:49:57

A fun play! I don't have any good glue suggestions though, I hate to say this even, but for the more simpleton like, I suppose a toothpick (cringe!) could work.

Ivys Manning 2009-08-13 10:19:19

Cool! Might you freeze the two together briefly? Would it make the cherry tomato go all mealy if you only did it for a minute. If you were going to go all Keller on it, you'd stuff them with fois gras. But that would be a tad much. I have both cherry tomatoes (volunteers from last year, yea!) and huge cherries from the market right now....(insert the the patter patter patter sound of me going to my kitchen)

zoe 2009-08-13 17:57:06

Cute!

Mir 2009-08-13 20:02:06

You are a food architect!

Anh 2009-08-14 05:51:21

It looks pretty, for sure! How about a mini kebab. You can use a toothpick, then. I don't know. I am just thinking! :D

kitty 2009-08-15 10:50:34

lol too cute!

Vaer 2009-08-20 09:47:40

I take it that it's not possible to graft pieces of fruit together on the plant? Like you can do with tree branches.

Sandy 2010-03-12 12:23:22

I bet gelatin would do it, but since you're veg., does agar really have the same properties as gelatin? You could toothpick them together until the agar set, then take the toothpicks out for presentation.

Phoebe 2012-05-21 14:34:35

I like the idea of stuffing them as a non-molecular way of attaching them; with flavored cream cheese, maybe? Martha Stewart has a phenomenal recipe for pistachio-dusted roquefort grapes in her hors d'oeuvres book (under "classics"-- all classics for a VERY good reason-- they look boring but they're all revelatory; I served the grapes at my wedding and people went nuts) and taking a cue from that recipe could be a way to go. (adds fat & crunch, which this cherry/cherry combo looks like it still needs. But it's such a fun idea-- 75% there-- keep going with it! I'm waiting for your next book, Michael, which I hope will be on eccentric, fancy, occasionally el bulli-inspired amuses bouches and party food! just putting that out there. :)