Tomatoes

Mexico is tomato heaven — there is no other word for it. The plant bears there year-round, and in the hot sun, the fruit develops the most intense flavor. That accounts for the most important difference between the typical Veracruzan sauces as made there or here. The simplest creations are magic when real tomatoes are at the heart of them. But the tomatoes available in the United States are pallid-flavored most of the year (including the bright red imported ones sold at fancy prices). Even local tomatoes in season can taste waterlogged rather than juicy. This is one reason that I often season dishes more abundantly than my Veracruzan friends or add an extra step of frying ingredients — it helps compensate for that missing dimension of tomato flavor.