I understand that. That is why tomatoes shipped from California or other far off places taste so lousy.
“...far off places taste so lousy.”
Then what good is there in saying a tomato in Tennessee, which would have to be shipped just like the ones in California, would be any better on the flip flop? They are no different. If you eat them in Tennessee, they are better. If you eat California tomatoes in California, they are better, too. If you eat Tennessee tomatoes in California, they are no better or worse that the California tomatoes in Tennessee. So how is one better than the other? The only difference is that California tomatoes constitute better than 85% of the tomato market in the US.
Maybe Tennessee tomato producers should increase their production or PR. And then they can increase their sales along with their production even though it will have no effect on quality as their product has to be shipped like the ones from the left coast because no one has a better or less expensive way to do it without spoilage.
So determining which product is better is totally based upon where you live and what is available. Thus I’m not sure anyone can say one is better than the other. I’ve never had a Tennessee tomato. And if you have only had your locals and the ones coming from Central America from Walmart, and like those, take a trip to California and give the locals there the same chance you give the Tennessee tomatoes you enjoy. You might be surprised at the difference from the shipped ones also.
wy69