Baku tomatoes are unprecedentedly popular among Russian consumers. Fragrant, tasty, very juicy and sweet fruits seem to be filled with the sun of Azerbaijan. Their unique rich aroma and taste cannot be compared with other varieties. Baku tomatoes, even as an independent dish, are beautiful and multifaceted. And as an addition to barbecue, you simply can’t find the best vegetable, and pizza is obtained with a completely different aroma and taste. You can also make an excellent salad of Baku tomatoes.
Homeland of Baku Tomatoes
Today, many market sellers are trying to sell tomatoes of other varieties, passing them off as Baku. Indeed, juicy, the best and most attractive fruits are grown in the village of Zira, located near Baku, 50 kilometers eastward. The magnificent taste of tomatoes is well known to any resident of the capital of Azerbaijan.
There are some versions where the name of this settlement came from. For example, that the village of Zira came from the name of a popular spice with the same name, which has been grown here for quite some time. On the other hand, it is believed that the origin of the name comes from the Arabic word "ziraat", which in translation means "agriculture". Of the two options, the second is more realistic, because the soil in this village is very fertile, and the air gives off a rare freshness that can not be found in other regions of Absheron. The reason for this is the fact that Zira is separated from the coast of the Caspian by salt lakes, which purify the air and give the climate additional humidity.
Today, the main source of income on these lands is the cultivation of vegetables, including Baku tomatoes.
Expert Observations
Baku tomato should not be of impressive size, it has a uniform light red hue and a thin, but strong peel. In case of drying, it wrinkles, but the integrity of the cover will not lose.
Real fruits are grown under the Absheron sun from May to October. The rest of the time the vegetable is grown in greenhouses under lamps. Naturally, the tastes of seasonal and greenhouse tomatoes vary significantly.
The cost of Baku tomatoes and where to buy
Tomatoes can be safely attributed to the most consumed vegetable. If you want to experience the real and unique taste of Baku tomatoes, then go to the best place to buy these vegetables in Baku - to the Teze Bazaar market. It is a multi-storey shopping center and is located on Samed Vurgun Street. All products at the Thesa Bazaar are of excellent quality and at reasonable prices.
Let's go through the shelves in search of Baku tomatoes. Oh, found! Baku tomatoes at the Teze Bazaar market cost a couple of manats per kilo, that is, about seventy rubles for our money. That's not much for this incredibly tasty vegetable.
Baku tomatoes in our markets
If you are in the Russian market and you are convinced that this tomato is from Azerbaijan, then your doubts are clear. Indeed, based on the data of the Rosselkhoznadzor, only seven percent of tomatoes from the total volume in Russia are from Azerbaijan.
If, nevertheless, the seller assures that his goods are from Azerbaijani fields, then the path will cut one of the tomatoes in half. Baku tomato will give itself the same color of pulp and peel, and its seeds will be white, not green. Unaware buyers are convinced that if there is a stalk, then this product is fresh. This is not true. In truth, if a tomato has a branch, it means growing it in a greenhouse, while real tomatoes from Baku are grown in the open, and the stem is separated, even if the tomato is not fully ripe. If you see white spots or pigments on the skin - this means abundant watering with chemicals. If the color of the inner and outer is uneven, or the flesh is white, then we can safely talk about the ripening of this vegetable using chemicals or the fetus was struck by a viral infection. But Baku tomatoes (photo attached) do not fertilize, because they always have enough warmth and light. In addition, the cost of fertilizers in Azerbaijan is very impressive.
"Internal" features of the variety and cooking
These tomatoes have a slightly sweet taste. They contain a rich set of vitamins C, groups B1, PP, provitamin A, minerals, sugar, K, Mg, Fe, Zn, Ca and P. Also in Baku tomatoes there is a very important element - lycopene. Lycopene gives tomatoes a red tint, is a powerful natural antioxidant, reduces the risks of pathologies of the cardiovascular system and various oncological diseases. The most useful tomatoes are those that have a high content of carotene and vitamin C. Compared to greenhouse vegetables, grown in the sun have a large amount of nutrients.
Because of the juiciness, the fruits are perfect for eating both fresh and fermented. These tomatoes can be baked in the oven without the hassle.
Baku tomatoes: varieties
- Large-fruited tomato Baku
This is a mid-season variety. It is grown in open ground and film shelters. The plant is determinant. Requires mandatory garter and formation. The fruits are fleshy, flat-round, large, weighing up to 300 g. Color - raspberry. The variety tolerates temperature fluctuations well. Large-fruited Baku tomato, reviews of which are only positive, is used for fresh consumption, for the preparation of tomato paste, juices and ketchup.
The variety is small in size, has a thin skin and juicy, fleshy and sweet flesh. Pink tomatoes have three times as much vitamin C and antioxidants as red ones.