First, these are "heirloom" tomatoes. That means they aren't bred to look pretty to survive being shipped 5,000 miles; they are tasty and nutritious. You just have to accept that they may have a funny shape or be easily bruised. That's a trade-off that makes sense!
Second, the "Seconds" are the ones that are too funny-shaped or otherwise odd every for heirloom buyers. By getting a whole box of them, we got them at about half price as compared to store-bought tomatoes!
Now, we have to process them quickly because a real tomato rots in the field, releasing its seeds to make the next crop. A few we gobbled in salad or with cheese. Some went into the pot right away, to be cooked down, then frozen for mid-winter dinners. The last batch we're experimenting with roasting in the oven. It turns out it is VERY EASY to split them, set on a cookie sheet, then slow-roast in the oven until they reduce into red tasty goodness, much like the "sun-dried tomatoes" that are many dollars a pound.
Who knew that health and saving money could go together so easily?
