The Great Tomato Debate

Is is just me, or do you find yourself drifting away, lost in your thoughts when you are out in the garden?

I tend to find myself thinking about everything under the sun from things I have no control over; solutions to solve the world's problems and what I'd do to the deer who keep knocking the tomatoes off the vines (fried green tomatoes tonight) and munching on all the cucumber and sweet potato foliage.

The other day I thought about the tomatoes I was picking. Refrigerate or leave on the counter? Well, I knew the answer to that one. I don't know where I got the opinion regarding where one stores their tomatoes; but I have a very strong one. My personal belief is that they are to be stored on the counter and eaten room temperature. I think they taste better. The only time I would waver on this is if I prepare a salad ahead of the meal. Then, and only then, it would be acceptable to refrigerate them. Left over tomatoes after grilling hamburgers? As if!! Just get out the salt shaker and eat them up! There should be no such thing as a left over tomato sent to a cold death in the fridge.

I remember a cook-out we were having at work years ago and someone put the tomatoes in the refrigerator. As a matter of fact, that someone was about as adamant as them being stored there as I was about them not. Thankfully, I'm a go along type of person who believes you can respect opinions of others. Just agree to disagree and leave the tomatoes off your burger.

Am I right or wrong?

Next topics up for debate...Peel or don't peel a tomato when making a "mater sandwich" and Miracle Whip or Hellman's mayonnaise?