# I want my tomatoes! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 11, 2008, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545 "2008-06-11T06:28:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/21 "2008-06-12T00:10:20Z")
[QUOTE=Stealth Potato] If your salsa is “perfectly safe,” why won’t you sell it to me? [/QUOTE] Two reasons: 1. They are lying when they say it’s safe, they just want everyone to not hassle them when they bring tomatoes back. 2. People are idiots. Even though grape, cherry, and “on the vine” tomatoes are OK, as are tomatoes sold in certain states, most people will just see the brief news segment and go “OMG all tomatoes will kill me I can’t have any tomatoes anywhere!!” At the restaurant I work at, we pulled all tomatoes, including the grape tomatoes used for one salad, and we stopped putting fresh tomatoes in the chili, even though it gets cooked. The memo we got explaining this said something to the effect of: “Even though certain varieties of tomatoes are safe, and not all restaurant locations are affected, our guests will only register in their minds that tomatoes are bad, so we have decided to remove all tomato products from out dishes.” Which seems to me like a nice way of saying “our guests are stupid and it’s not worth your time explaining to them the nuances of the recall.” ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/22 "2008-06-12T00:50:50Z")
Well I just had a Papa John’s Spinach, Chicken, Tomato Alfredo pizza for dinner. I feel fine. **bouv** , it’s definitely reason #2. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/23 "2008-06-12T00:51:35Z")
Just had an heirloom from the local Farmer’s Market in my salad. Yum. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/24 "2008-06-12T01:05:12Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] McDonalds is serving medical marijuana now? [/QUOTE] …with black-light happy meal toys. 🆒 Hey, it one way to keep your mind off the taste of the food… ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/25 "2008-06-12T03:14:40Z")
Eat your fucking tomatoes, this is another Asian bird flu scare. But lookout, the media says SuperFlu Bug XXTII is headed our way! Man the bunkers! Store the canned goods! Buy up all the bread at the grocery! ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/26 "2008-06-12T03:43:48Z")
I don’t understand about the salmonella tomatoes in the first place, doesn’t every one wash thier tomatoes? Is the salmonella inside like with chicken eggs? ---
**Author:** ![Audrey\_Levins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Audrey\_Levins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Audrey_Levins)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/27 "2008-06-12T07:43:46Z")
Ditto what **Adhemar** said. I had a chicken salad croissant from Panera yesterday and I want my freakin’ tomatoes. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Captain\_C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_C)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/28 "2008-06-12T08:53:59Z")
The tomato slice was the one healthy thing on my two-a-day whopper junior habit. Now I can no longer pretend they are slightly good for me. ---
**Author:** ![ASAKMOTSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/29 "2008-06-12T13:05:40Z")
We just need some good, lead-laced, Chinese tomatoes! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/30 "2008-06-12T14:00:33Z")
[QUOTE=Captain\_C] The tomato slice was the one healthy thing on my two-a-day whopper junior habit. Now I can no longer pretend they are slightly good for me. [/QUOTE] There’s still lettuce, onions and special sauce. That’s my excuse, anyway. I got a chicken sandwich at Checkers last night and it had a tomato slice on it. Bring it on, I say - I ate British beef for 14 years so I can damn well handle a New Mexico tomato. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/31 "2008-06-12T14:10:45Z")
[QUOTE=adhemar] I don’t understand about the salmonella tomatoes in the first place, doesn’t every one wash thier tomatoes? Is the salmonella inside like with chicken eggs? [/QUOTE] Yes, the salmonella is inside the tomatoes in question. They’re not sure how it got inside, but that’s where it is. My tomato plants are covered with little, yellow flowers. Just a few more weeks… ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/32 "2008-06-12T14:14:37Z")
[QUOTE=Ferret Herder] Anyway, last I read the small tomatoes (cherry, grape) were still considered fine. [/QUOTE] That’s a relief–those are my favorite kinds. I love those bite sized lil suckers. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/33 "2008-06-12T14:31:05Z")
[QUOTE=adhemar] I don’t understand about the salmonella tomatoes in the first place, doesn’t every one wash thier tomatoes? Is the salmonella inside like with chicken eggs? [/QUOTE] Here to agree with **Maus Magill**. Yes, the salmonella IS, or at least has the distinct possibility of being, inside. Simply washing a tomato may not render it safe since the offending bacteria is taken into the vegetable through its normal capillary uptake of water. **MacTech** , that’s what puzzles me wrt the vine. “Lying on the soil” shouldn’t be a determining factor, should it? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/34 "2008-06-12T14:34:52Z")
[QUOTE=bouv] “Even though certain varieties of tomatoes are safe, and not all restaurant locations are affected, our guests will only register in their minds that tomatoes are bad, so we have decided to remove all tomato products from out dishes.” Which seems to me like a nice way of saying “our guests are stupid and it’s not worth your time explaining to them the nuances of the recall.” [/QUOTE] The sad part is, they’re not wrong. The four out of five people who after a detailed explanation are capable of grasping the situation will be outweighed in terms of time and interpersonal fatigue by the one out of five who draws you into an hour-long bellowing cow-eyed debate. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/35 "2008-06-12T22:29:15Z")
Last night at Jimmy John’s I had to have a BL, as “the T’s all got the salmonella.” Shoulda bought local - South Carolina tomatoes are evidently fine. ---
**Author:** ![Greta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@Greta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greta)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2008, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/36 "2008-06-13T04:59:14Z")
I swear Leno once mentioned there was an actual restaurant called Sam & Ella’s. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2008, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/37 "2008-06-13T05:03:20Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] McDonalds is serving medical marijuana now? [/QUOTE] A fast-food place serving marijuana is almost a textbook case of synergy. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2008, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545/38 "2008-06-13T05:03:42Z")
Wars, terror, disasters, planetary turmoil. And now the final insult, the attack of the killer tomatoes! _d&r_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tomatoes/452545.md?page=1)