This week's thought provoking food experiment: Carbonated tomatoes!

[olllllo]

Here are the suspects:
1) A plastic bottle.
(Doesn't everyone have a Bulgarian Lager Magnum in a plastic bottle laying around?)

2) A Carbonator cap.

3) Small tomatoes.

 

[olllllo]

Bombs away

Fill it up

Hit it with 30 psi

Refrigermerate

I'm going to give it a week and report back.

 

[the_bird]

I'm wondering who's going to make the bigger mess, you or that damn dog...

 

[Danek]

I'm intrigued by this - what are you expecting to find?

 

[the_bird]

If you can figure out a way to make bubbly ketchup, my daughter will *love* you...

 

[Melana]

Looks like an interesting experiment... do you think that the skin on the tomatoes is gas permeable?

 

[olllllo]

It's my understanding that it will carbonate.
http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2006/09/04/story2.html?i=54772&b=1157342400%5E1339816

Grapes, Melon, Pineapple, Banana...

 

[Germey]

I'm going to guess that you'll need to drop the pressure on those slowly. If you just pop the top, promise us that you'll have video rolling.

 

[Professor Frink]

You gonna lager those tomatoes? Sounds like it might not be too bad. Can you make carbonated pickles, that would be awesome.

 

[Germey]

I just read the article and have two questions. How does adding CO2 make something "Sweeter" (rhetorical, the writer is an idiot)
and, where do they find these self proclaimed health advocates? Someone is complaining because they are "disguising fruit as soda?" This is one of the first things to hit the shelves in the past decade that isn't 90% corn syrup! Hats off to them.
olllllo, if your experiment doesn't turn into a red volcano, my kids are so getting some of this (maybe even still with a volcano)

 

[Professor Frink]

I didn't read the article, but sometimes CO2 makes things seem sweeter because carbonic acid has a bit of a sweet taste to it. And as far as the health aspect? Only in the respect that it might make kids more likely to eat it.

 

[Germey]

I didn't read the article, but sometimes CO2 makes things seem sweeter because carbonic acid has a bit of a sweet taste to it. And as far as the health aspect? Only in the respect that it might make kids more likely to eat it.

To me, it's always just the opposite. Things taste sweeter when the carbonation runs out.
In the article, no one is disputing that the novelty may make kids more likely to eat fruits and veggies, but there is one person staunchly against it. I think that person is misguided as the carbonation doesn't change the nutritional value at all.

 

[z987k]

I think it's a great idea. Adding C02 neither adds nor subtracts nutritional value from the fruit so who cares. Mother might be worried her children will eat a little healthier. Not to judge but either she is 300lbs or undereducated.

 

[olllllo]

I'm excited about the outcome.

I'm glad no one asked me how much DME to add if you're naturally carbonating!

 

[fifelee]

How much DME do you add for natural carbonation?

 

[Orfy]

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Carbonated-Fruit/

 

[the_bird]

I'm waiting for someone to complain about the release of CO2 contributing to global warming....

 

[Chello]

seems like grapes would be much more enjoyable carbonated....

 

[olllllo]

seems like grapes would be much more enjoyable carbonated....

Well beer trumps grapes. All I had was tomato.

 

[the_bird]

I've got to make a green salad for tomorrow night. You wanna bring the tomatos along to mix in?

 

[ohiobrewtus]

ok, I gotta ask... why are you doing this?

 

[olllllo]

I find that a thrown vegetable stings more with carbonation.

No reason other than it might be good.

 

[c.n.budz]

I find that a thrown vegetable stings more with carbonation.

And you get a better popping, splatter effect

 

[pjj2ba]

My dad did something similar by accident on a family trip many years ago. We had a Scotch cooler (it's a round metal cooler with a tight fitting lid and a tartan pattern on it) and prior to heading home my dad put some peaches in it, and for some reason he had some dry ice so he put that in to cool it. This lid must have leaked just the right amount to hold some pressure, but not blow off. After we got home (8+ hr drive) we had fizzy peaches!

I would be very surprised if you don't get fizzy tomatoes.


Side note: the apples, pears and a couple other fruits that are stored for long periods (up to 9 mo. - apples in late spring, early summer) before going to market are often stored in a cooler with high CO2 levels. Not enough to cause fizziness, but enough to prevent the fruits from rotting.

 

[olllllo]

I got antsy and decided to take a peek. The tomatos swelled up and were difficult to remove from the bottle. I could hear them snapping and popping in the bottle.

C'mon get outta there.

Here are the ones that made it out unscathed (relatively).

There was no change in flavor, but there was carbonation bit and a hint of fizz.

 

[jdoiv]

I think you should do this with some cherries or blackberries. Get 'em good and carbed up then pour some vodka into the bottle. Let it sit and you'll have sparkling infused vodka. Make a mean martini.....

 

[olllllo]

Good idea. I'm also going to use my 3 gallon corny and do several at once.

 

[paulthenurse]

I can hear my old 3rd grade teacher, Sister Mary Elizabeth now, "An idle mind is the devils playground!"

 

[z987k]

where'd you get the cap for the bottle?

 

[olllllo]

It's called the carbonator cap and it cn be purchased everywhere fine zymugical supplies are sold. I've seen it for as little as $12 all the way up to $25. You can also make your own:
http://www.brewboard.com/index.php?showtopic=47610

 

[blacklab]

I really think those tomatoes need some time to age in secondary before you force carb.

 

[BigKahuna]

You gonna lager those tomatoes? Sounds like it might not be too bad. Can you make carbonated pickles, that would be awesome.

mmmmm
Carbonated KooPickels.....Now we're talking.

 

[IrregularPulse]

OT- I mentioned koopickles to the wife and she said no to wasting good pickles. Seem's like I'll have to buy a secondary jar to try.

Carbonated fruit sounds like an awsome idea. Not to mention one more argument towards why I should start kegging to the wife!