The Secret Ingredient For Flavor-Boosted Tomatoes

Regardless of the dish or season, tomatoes are undeniably versatile and delicious. These fruits provide a refreshing tang that highlights the savoriness of the bacon in a BLT. They can also bring an umami sweetness to a hearty lasagna dish. Still, some tomatoes — and even certain parts of the tomato, like the pulp – are more flavorful than others. 

Luckily, even the blandest tomatoes can be enhanced by a simple ingredient you probably have in your pantry: Cream of tartar. With the help of this versatile ingredient, the dullest tomatoes of the bunch can find that coveted limbo between sweetness and acidity. A sprinkle of cream of tartar over a freshly sliced tomato brings its flavors to life by increasing the acidity of the fruit.

While this can also be achieved with vinegar or lemon juice, cream of tartar stands above the competition because it does not betray the firm texture of a fresh tomato by adding more liquid to the mix. With cream of tartar, the alluring flavors of cherry and grape tomatoes alike will shine without being overshadowed by notes of lemon and vinegar.

The flavor of a tomato is related to the pH, which describes how acidic or basic something is. A high pH is used to describe something alkaline or basic; when a tomato is lacking its signature tang, it is too alkaline. Luckily, cream of tartar is actually made of tartaric acid which brings the pH of the tomato down, reviving the gentle tang of a good tomato. 

A low pH means something is acidic; when a tomato is too tart or sour, a low pH is the culprit. While ¾ to 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar is usually enough to season a couple of heirloom tomatoes, you can still get a good sense of the sugar and acid levels based on how the tomato tastes. When it is low on sugar but has adequate acid, it will taste tart. If it has enough sugar but is low on acid, it will taste bland. If a tomato is lacking both sugar and acid, it will be tasteless.

Adding a small amount of sugar could help balance out the acidity if there is too much cream of tartar. Consider combining the cream of tartar and sugar with salt and pepper to create a seasoning mix that empowers all aspects of a tomato's flavor.