Jersey Tomatoes. I remember him and my mom canning them every August so we would have that Jersey tomato flavor running through her sauce all winter long, the same sauce that showed up every Sunday with spaghetti. Why Jersey tomatoes actually are differentIt turns out there is real science behind what my dad already knew instinctively. The Rutgers Tomato, developed in the 1930s, became the high-sugar, high-acid standard that built the whole reputation. The classic Jersey tomato sandwich — thick slices, white bread, mayonnaise, salt and pepper, nothing else — is one of the simplest and best things you will eat all summer.