Grape vs cherry tomatoes

[fldhkybnva]

What is the difference? I did a Google search but am still confused. I am mostly confused by the fact that most sites mentioned that grape tomatoes are smaller than cherry tomatoes which can be fairly large in fact. In the grocery store, it seems I always see the larger oblong tomatoes which I assumed were grape and then smaller rounder tomatoes which I thought were cherry. Is it perhaps that both are grape tomatoes and cherry tomatoes are fairly rare find in the grocery store and not in the same area as the piles of grape tomatoes that always seemed to be lined up? I assume that the most people don't know the difference and use them interchangeably which could also be part of the confusion.

[Violatp]

Interesting answers. I don't actually like cherry tomatoes and I've found them, generally, to be bland and "squirty." Most grape tomatoes, the ones I love and can eat by the handful, are half the size of the cherry tomatoes with which I'm most familiar.

[fldhkybnva]

+1. I love a good pop of a grape tomatoes thrown into my mouth.

[alkapal]

i like the campari brand/variety -- they are not so squirty, and have a good, balanced sweetness/acidity. their skins aren't tough, either.

[Bacardi1]

The supermarket ones can definitely be that way, but if you grow your own, they're wonderful!!

[Violatp]

My thumb - she is not green. :-(

[DonShirer]

Right on, Bacardi! Commercial tomatoes are often bred not for taste, but to be resistant to bruising during shipping, and are picked green so they ripen on the way to the market. You don't need a green thumb to grow your own tomatoes, Viola (mine is definitely tannish), and cherry/grape/currant tomatoes are often easier to grow than standard sizes. If you don't want to get into that, go to a farmer's market and ask for SunGold, Black Cherry, Riesentraube, or (dozens of) other great-tasting varieties.

[Bacardi1]

Yup - I even grow tomatoes - cherries included - in pots on my deck. They grow like weeds with very little care outside of consistent watering.

[wyogal]

I can grow other things, but not tomatoes. I've tried. I end up buying them at the farmer's market, eat fresh, and freeze for winter.

[earthygoat]

There are hundreds if not thousands of tomato varieties.
http://www.seedsavers.org/onlinestore...
There are quite a few grape and cherry varieties also. Each have their own flavours, sizes, colours etc. Buy the ones you like to eat.

[Bacardi1]

Regardless of the semantics, both "grape" & "cherry" tomatoes can be used interchangeably in recipes.

[fldhkybnva]

Yup, more just a question of difference out of interest. Im not a fan of cooked tomatoes which still maintain structure vs tomato sauces and such so they are always raw to me and by far prefer grape tomatoes.

[CanadaGirl]

I agree with Ipsedixit, but would add that I find grape tomatoes somewhat tangy.

[alkapal]

ditto -- they seem more acidic than cherry tomatoes.

[meatn3]

" Is it perhaps that both are grape tomatoes and cherry tomatoes are fairly rare find in the grocery store and not in the same area as the piles of grape tomatoes that always seemed to be lined up?"

In areas I have lived packaged cherry tomatoes are readily found. Packaged grape tomatoes have become relatively easy to find over the past 10 years.

You mention piles of grape tomatoes...any chance these are Roma tomatoes? I ask because I have never come across cherry or grape tomatoes which were not in some sort of container - even at farmers markets. They are so small and the stems catch together easily that they would not do well stacked like larger tomatoes.

Re: size - I've seen cherry tomatoes range from marble to ping pong ball size. I've never seen grape tomatoes larger than, well, a grape!

[fldhkybnva]

By piles, I meant piles of plastic containers filled with grape tomatoes which never seem to have stems.

[meatn3]

Gotcha!

[ipsedixit]

Shape, size and taste.

Cherry tomatoes are round, sweet and have a thin skins (and are usu. pretty juicy).

Grapes are oblong, less sweet than Cherries, and have thicker skins.