Truly one of the most different looking pieces of fruit or vegetable I have seen all year, and definitely a conversation piece. Only moments ago I gathered all courage, chopped a Kumato® into wedges, closed my eyes and popped a chunk into my mouth.

I don’t know what I was expecting but once I got over the fact that it is brownish/green and only resembles a tomato in shape, I was really surprised. Imagine a flavour-enhanced tomato, watermelon-juicy, deliciously sweet and not as acidic as a regular tomato. To give you an idea of the flavour, a tomatoes sweetness is measured in brix, a regular tomato has a brix of between 3-5 (average of 3.5) whereas a Kumato® has a brix of about 5-8 (average 7,5) cherry tomatoes have a brix between 7-8. Original genetic material comes from the north-eastern parts of Europe and Russia; the variety was developed by a Dutch seed house.

The Kumato® is grown in South Africa by a Barbeton based company called Simply Salads; they also grow other speciality tomatoes and peppers for all major supermarkets countrywide. I am told that the best way to store the Kumato® is at room temperature, if stored in the fridge the cold conditions will lower the fructose content, making them less sweet. They last at room temperature for about 2 weeks.

The Kumato® have the same nutritional value as tomatoes, with lycopene being an obvious health benefit. They sell for about R8.99 for a punnet of 4 tomatoes, more expensive than regular tomatoes but if you are a true fan, they are worth it and are really delicious -if you can get past the colour. Use them exactly the same as regular tomatoes. Particularly good chopped into thickish slices with mozzarella, a drizzle of olive oil and fresh basil leaves and fresh ciabatta, simply gorgeous. Find them in selected Pick n Pay and Spar stores in Gauteng and Bloemfontein but look out for them countrywide. For more information check out the Kumato® website on www.kumato.eu or www.dulcinea.com.