The Tomato and You: Respect Your Produce

It happens every year around July. The local farmer's market on the corner opens every Saturday morning, and you go to take a look and end up taking far, far more home than you meant to.

We’re not talking about the rest of the fresh summer produce right now, although trust me…we can.

A little-known fact about the Schmidt Brothers staff…while we have a location in New York City, some of us are loud and proud residents of its cousin state, New Jersey. Yes, yes, scoff, get it off your chest, I’ll wait.

Done? Great.

We have amazing New Jersey tomatoes.

Born in the Dirt: The Ultimate Terroir

Back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, New Jersey wasn't just growing produce. It was building an agricultural powerhouse. Farmers in the southern stretches of the state tapped into a secret weapon: sandy, rich soil paired with optimal coastal climates.

It was the ultimate environment for tomato cultivation. Local growers embraced the land, pioneered dialed-in farming techniques, and elevated growing high-quality tomatoes from a basic crop into a craft.

The result? A big, bold, hyper-flavorful Jersey Beefsteak tomato that earned a permanent spot in American culinary heritage. It’s versatile, robust, and packed with that perfect, balanced acidity you only get when high-grade agricultural passion meets ideal growing conditions.

The Tomato Savior: Choosing the Best Tomato Knife

Are you really going to pull out a dull, bargain-bin knife on a beautiful fresh Beefsteak tomato like that?

You most certainly will not.

This is where we come in. If your kitchen prep tools are lacking, you’re not cooking—you’re performing unnecessary produce destruction. Here is the Schmidt Brothers guide to tackling peak-season produce with the best knife for cutting tomatoes.

• The Golden Rule of Tomato Prep: If you have to push down on a tomato to slice it, your knife is acting as a blunt weapon. A proper blade should glide through the skin purely on forward motion, zero crushing required.

You need two essential kitchen essentials to properly prepare a tomato: a sharp knife and a sturdy cutting board.

• The Knife: The soft skins and juicy centers of your standard tomato are the ultimate test for blade sharpness. Our ultra-sharp German steel chef knives slice through delicate skins without smashing out every glob of pulp and seed onto your counter. While a classic Chef Knife is great, you may want to spring for a specialized serrated tomato knife or tomato-bagel knife. The fine serrations effortlessly slice through the skin while keeping the juice and pulp intact within each slice. Check out our premium kitchen knife sets that feature both options!

• The Board: Look, a ripe tomato is juicy. Very juicy. You don't need a thin plastic cutting board that slides all over your counter when you're trying for the perfect Caprese salad. A heavy-duty wooden cutting board stays anchored, preserves your blade edges, and looks good enough to double as an impromptu charcuterie board for fresh Bruschetta. We recommend the Schmidt Brothers Acacia End-Grain Cutting Board for all your precision slicing needs.

Savor the Season

Good tomato season only lasts a few short months. Don't waste it wrestling with cheap kitchen tools that tear up your food. Upgrade to high-grade German stainless steel knives, keep your fingers tucked, and enjoy the taste of a tomato that actually kept its shape.