I’ve always loved summer, and feel a bit sorry to see it go, no matter how awesome Autumn is in New England. Trips to the beach, summer concerts, fun day trips, and gardening are some of the activities I’ll miss once the fall season arrives. The summer is winding down, and so are the season’s tomato plants! Not a tomato goes to waste in my house, as I make some great recipes, as well as preserve my bounty! Tie on your favorite apron and let’s get picking!
Have you ever noticed that tomatoes in the grocery store never taste as juicy and delicious as fresh ones picked right from your garden or a farmers’ market? That’s because even if the tomatoes in the grocery store are organic, they are “forced ripened” with ethylene gas, as opposed to ripening on their own. Nothing is better than a fresh tomato right from a plant, warm from the sun!
It’s not always that easy to grow tomatoes in Connecticut. Our summers here lately have tended to be very wet, hot and humid. Just this past month, my area had a Sunday where 14 inches of rain fell! Called a “1000 year storm”, that kind of rain, of course, isn’t typical, but our planting zone does get plagued every year with a variety of fungal diseases, many of which thrive in damp weather. Tomatoes tend to be the garden plant susceptible to the most diseases (some of which overwinter), which is why you never want to put tomatoes or spent tomato plants in your compost pile, to keep from infecting next year’s crop.
Still, despite the rain, I had a bumper crop this year, and there’s a few more to harvest. When summer tomato plants start to fade, you can extend their growing time by lopping the tops off the plants in September to increase the energy into the fruit.
It’s also best to pick tomatoes this time of year before they have ripened completely. This helps prevent the tomatoes from splitting on the vine from late sun followed by cool rain this time of year. They will ripen and turn red from the inside out in the kitchen.
Because of my planting zone, I planted my tomatoes indoors from seed this past winter, planting different varieties, including heirloom types. My favorites this year were Burbank Slicing and Cherokee Purple.
I planted roma tomatoes, as well. Roma are the best for canning, as they have less juice, but any variety can be used for canning.
Despite the wet and humid summer we’ve had, I have had a bumper crop! We’ve been eating fresh tomatoes in salads and on sandwiches for weeks now! They are so scrumptious! I also have been preserving my lot of tomatoes, canning several batches so far.
In the past, home-canned tomatoes may have been processed using the water-bath method, but modern wisdom (and the USDA) have found that it isn’t the safest thing to do, as tomatoes are a low-acid food, and should be only canned in a pressure canner.
Green tomatoes are higher in acid than red; as the tomato ripens, the fruit is not as acidic. Using a pressure canner is a must – it’s quicker and safer. I love my American Standard Canner. Despite looking (and weighing) like a small space capsule, it is acutally so simple and easy to use, and meant to last a lifetime.
To can tomatoes, wash your fruit (don’t use anything that is overly ripe or from a diseased or frost-killed plant), cut the tops, core the tomato, and score the bottoms.
Next, drop the tomatoes in boiling water on your stove for about a minute to blanch.
Place the boiled tomatoes in a bath of ice water for about 30 seconds, and voila! The skins just come right off. So easy!
I cut my tomatoes in chunks, then I bring them all to a rolling boil, stirring often, for five minutes, before ladling into hot, prepared canning jars.
Add 2 TBSP of bottled lemon juice in each jar before adding the tomatoes (use bottled, as then the acid will be the right strength; fresh lemons vary in acid content depending on age, size and variety). You can also use a ½ tsp of citric acid in place of the bottled lemon juice. I also add 2 tsp of salt to each jar. Keep in mind this is for flavor, not for acid content.
Remember to leave one inch of headspace before wiping each jar top with vinegar, placing the lid, and processing in your canner.
Home-canned tomatoes have a flavor and color not found in store bought, and there is no BPA!
For the rest of the tomatoes we’ve had this season, in addition to eating them on salads and sandwiches, I have been making homemade pico de gallo. Commercially-made salsas from the store always taste like watery ketchup to me! Once you see how easy and quick it is to make, you’ll never want to buy conventional store-bought again!
Best-ever Suburban Farmgirl Pico De Gallo
For every two cups of chopped tomatoes, add one half, large, finely-chopped red onion, 1 small bunch of cilantro, snipped (about ¼ cup), 2 TBSP of lime juice, ¼ tsp of garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
This summer, I have a lot of hot peppers still growing, so I like to add one small, chopped hot pepper for a bit of kick, but you can omit this completely if you don’t like any heat.
For Labor Day, our family attended our town’s Labor Day parade, then enjoyed roasted Danish hot dogs in bread dough over the fire pit, with chips and homemade Pico De Gallo.
Homemade pico de gallo only takes minutes to make, and is addictive! It will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a day or so (if you can stop eating it)!
Soon, when the last of the tomato plants are finally done, I will put the garden “to bed”, waiting for mid-winter, when I can start my seeds indoors again!
Let’s talk tomatoes! What are your favorite varieties? What recipes do you like to use fresh tomatoes in? Share with me in comments below, or just say “hello”!
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