Look out for: tomatoes that aren’t over-dried or too chewy, but have a slightly waxy texture and strike a balance between acidity and fruity sweetness.

Guest panellist: Tristan Welch, head chef of Launceston Place, London W8 (020-7937 6912).

The top three

***** Merchant Gourmet Sun Dried Tomatoes in Oil, 270g, £1.81

There’s a massive depth of flavour to these. Saltiness, acidity, sweetness and sourness all ping around your mouth before melting away into an earthy fruitiness. Absolutely delicious.

**** Fruttibosco Sun Dry Tomatoes in Olive Oil, 280g, £4.46 (Sainsbury’s)

A faint teabag aroma plus a beaten-up dried fruit texture will raise eyebrows, but the fiery pepper flavour and chilli kick more than compensate.

**** Waitrose Sundried Tomatoes, 280g, £1.99

They look over-dried but taste light and fresh, with a few seeds adding a hint of bitterness. Fantastic for sauces.

And the rest…

*** Sacla Sun-Dried Tomato Antipasti, 280g, £2.29

No seeds, so there’s more of a sweetness to the tomatoes. Not bad, but they look a little dull… perhaps they’ve been left in the nondescript oil for some time.

** Inpa Sundried Tomatoes in Sunflower Seed Oil, 280g, £3.15

Long, thin and succulent but they are also very salty – it is as if they have been stored in a vinaigrette.

* Sainsbury’s Taste The Difference Semi-dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil, 290g, £3.79

The miscellaneous dried herbs lend these the flavour of supermarket pasta sauce. And with no acidity, they quickly become a chore to chew.

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