Tomato stalks - grrrr

No, it's not just you. I'd pass a law issuing a solid fine to any professional food provider who serves anything inedible with any meal. As my DH often says, That'd quell the beggars. Ooh, she's harsh!

As you say, it’s style over substance 🤬

used to be tinned tomatoes at one time those stalk toms are dear

I personally don't like tinned tomatoes as a stand alone side. I only ever use them as part of a recipe, like a curry or a ragu. But I do understand that some like them as part of a cooked breakfast.

Delia Smith has a delicious recipe for Piedmont roast peppers which calls for the peppers to be halved lengthwise through the stalk. Looks nice, easy to handle during prep, and not terribly difficult to remove. To me this is acceptable, but not tomato stalks!

Totally agree. A little bunch of tomatoes on stalks can look pretty on the plate but impossible to part tomato from stalk without squirting juice all over one's dining companion

Insert a fork, bowl side down between tomato(es) and stalk. Pull stalk with fingers while using fork to keep tomatoes still on the plate. That works most times, without squirting juice anywhere. The bowl shape of the fork protects the tomatoes from crushing too much.

Thank you MOnica my future dining companions will be most grateful. 😁