Cutting the core out of a tomato is one of the more tedious kitchen tasks, so I was intrigued by the claim made on the package of the Tomato Core-It, which said the tool could "bite" the core out. While this seemed a fairly vicious act to perform on the soft, supple tomato, I had to give the Core-It a try.
Made by Prince Castle Inc. in Carol Stream, Ill., the Tomato Core-It looks a lot like a melon baller with teeth. It works remarkably well, scooping out the core of a tomato in a single circular motion. It can also hull strawberries and core halved apples and pears.When you core a tomato with a paring knife, it is difficult to cut in a smooth circle without the skin resisting the blade, and often you cut too deeply into the flesh. The Core-It's short handle makes it easy to control, allowing my hand to be very close to the tomato. The teeth sawed right through the skin, and the ball shape kept me from scooping too deeply. If biting is the way to describe it, then the Core-It takes just a small mouthful.