Why are the tomatoes sold in the supermarkets sometimes pale and hard?
Fresh tomatoes sold in the supermarkets are firm and not completely ripe because they’re usually shipped long distances from the growing area to the supermarket. If they were fully ripened they would bruise easily, even under highly controlled conditions. But tomatoes will become a bright red color, soften slightly, and develop good flavor and aroma if kept for a few days at room temperature, between 55 and 70 degrees F.
