Seeing red: the humble tomato's fascinating story, from organic gardens in France and Thailand to Michelin-starred restaurants the world over – and ketchup's roots as a fish sauce from southern China
Every summer, chef Guillaume Galliot receives a special delivery from 10,000 kilometres away – organically grown tomatoes from his mother Myriam Deschamps' garden in Tours, in France's Loire Valley. He takes the juicy, sweet tomatoes and celebrates the fruit at Caprice, the three-Michelin-star French restaurant at the Four Seasons Hong Kong.
'When we started nine years ago, we got the tomatoes in mid-July, but with climate change, we now get them in August,' Galliot observes. His mother grows more than 30 varieties – including German Gold, Charlie's Green, Oxheart and Pineapple – not in a greenhouse, but in an open field. She starts growing the tomato seedlings in her home in March, transplanting them into the garden at the end of May, with ripening occurring in July or August.
Caprice in Hong Kong uses tomatoes grown by chef Guillaume Galliot's mother in France. Photo: Handout
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The French chef says the harvest yields some tomatoes that are sweet, others that are delicate and juicy, and yet others that are dry, in colours ranging from red to yellow and even white.
'Every year we create new tomato dishes for lunch and dinner at Caprice,' explains Galliot. 'We start working on the recipes in June with tomatoes from France or Japan because the season is short – about two, two and months.'
Resulting dishes include strawberry panna cotta with tomato water, and Parmesan tart with fresh tomatoes. Galliot says that tomatoes damaged in transit are made into a concassé, which sees the fruit deseeded, peeled and added to lobster bisque.
Galliot grew up eating tomates farcies, or baked stuffed tomatoes, prepared by his mother and paternal grandfather, who grew tomatoes in his garden.
Tomatoes from France's Loire Valley, used in a dish at Caprice. Photo: Handout
The tomatoes are hollowed out before being stuffed with ground pork seasoned with parsley, breadcrumbs and the tomato flesh, then baked and served with rice. 'The juice from the tomato is very flavourful,' says Galliot of the rustic dish.
Tomatoes are a good source of vitamins C and K, potassium and folate, and are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that helps reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. The fruit contains the antioxidant chlorogenic acid, which can lower blood pressure, and the skin has the flavonoid naringenin, which can help decrease inflammation.
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Seeing red: the humble tomato's fascinating story, from organic gardens in France and Thailand to Michelin-starred restaurants the world over – and ketchup's roots as a fish sauce from southern China
Every summer, chef Guillaume Galliot receives a special delivery from 10,000 kilometres away – organically grown tomatoes from his mother Myriam Deschamps' garden in Tours, in France's Loire Valley. He takes the juicy, sweet tomatoes and celebrates the fruit at Caprice, the three-Michelin-star French restaurant at the Four Seasons Hong Kong. 'When we started nine years ago, we got the tomatoes in mid-July, but with climate change, we now get them in August,' Galliot observes. His mother grows more than 30 varieties – including German Gold, Charlie's Green, Oxheart and Pineapple – not in a greenhouse, but in an open field. She starts growing the tomato seedlings in her home in March, transplanting them into the garden at the end of May, with ripening occurring in July or August. Caprice in Hong Kong uses tomatoes grown by chef Guillaume Galliot's mother in France. Photo: Handout Advertisement The French chef says the harvest yields some tomatoes that are sweet, others that are delicate and juicy, and yet others that are dry, in colours ranging from red to yellow and even white. 'Every year we create new tomato dishes for lunch and dinner at Caprice,' explains Galliot. 'We start working on the recipes in June with tomatoes from France or Japan because the season is short – about two, two and months.' Resulting dishes include strawberry panna cotta with tomato water, and Parmesan tart with fresh tomatoes. Galliot says that tomatoes damaged in transit are made into a concassé, which sees the fruit deseeded, peeled and added to lobster bisque. Galliot grew up eating tomates farcies, or baked stuffed tomatoes, prepared by his mother and paternal grandfather, who grew tomatoes in his garden. Tomatoes from France's Loire Valley, used in a dish at Caprice. Photo: Handout The tomatoes are hollowed out before being stuffed with ground pork seasoned with parsley, breadcrumbs and the tomato flesh, then baked and served with rice. 'The juice from the tomato is very flavourful,' says Galliot of the rustic dish. Tomatoes are a good source of vitamins C and K, potassium and folate, and are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that helps reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. The fruit contains the antioxidant chlorogenic acid, which can lower blood pressure, and the skin has the flavonoid naringenin, which can help decrease inflammation.
