Tomatoes

Tomatoes:  The Eater, the sandwich makers and the canners .

     When discussing the tomato You have to understand that there are many different kinds of tomatoes.  Great eating tomatoes such as the cherry tomato or the yellow pear.  These are  two of my favorite.  The taste of a hot tomato as you pop it in your mouth right from the vine cannot be beat.  These varieties can easily be grown on a porch in containers and will give large yields for the summer. These can be cut in half for salads and dehydrated.  They often contain a meatier center with  less liquid so you won't get a layer of liquid on the bottom of you salad.  when I dehydrate them I cut them in half.  You don't want to bother making small slices as these are already bite sized.  

     Varieties such as beefsteak  make an excellent sandwich.  One slice between toast with mayo!!!
I also can the larger varieties, making tomato sauce or stewed tomatoes.
     Slice a tomato, add balsamic vinegar and mozzarella (homemade if you can) and this is how I "salad" a beefsteak or larger tomato.

      Not only do tomatoes come in lots of sizes and shapes, but they come in different colors.  Quite often you will find that red tomatoes are more acidic and yellow are less acidic.  The black or purple varieties are usually on the  more acidic side but usually not as much as some reds.  When it comes to just  picking and eating I enjoy all the colors but I do find that the yellow tomatoes are not what I would want to use to  make sauce.  I find it is not as  flavorful.
   

canning!! This has become one of my favorite summer activities.  I think it is the artist in me wanted to express herself.  I enjoy making tomato sauce and having it for the winter when I refuse to buy tasteless, expensive tomatoes .    I will be honest, since I can large amounts I buy in bulk and wait til the price is right.  I also don't go cr.azy over needing a specific variety .  I look for a meatier tomato that will take less time to cook down.   

Now that spring has sprung........

Spring is here at last

The time to harvest many things is at  hand.  Morels are the big push right now.  They say when the Bloodroot blooms , the morels will be popping.  So far found one bloodroot, and very few morels.  I think we need a little rain.


 Check out under recipes for some ways to use those Morels.  And also how to store them.  I may try to do some new things with them this year.  I will let you know how it goes.  For those that don't know Morels they are a mushroom that will pop up in the spring and are quite distinctive.    
     They are often found in areas where there has been flood and fire.  Both in one spot would be even better.  I tend to find them around downed trees and no real green vegetation.  If you see a field of green with lots of sun, well I would not waste the time searching. 

Once you find them you need to be sure that the little critters that may live on them are gone.   We place them in a bowl of cool water with some salt.  Let them sit for a little while and then rinse them in cool water.  To store them fresh, place them on a paper towel, then using another damp paper towel wrap them and place them in a baggie.  
     To dehydrate Morels ( I have not tried this since I have not had more Morels than I could use at one time)  set your dehydrater at 125 degrees for about 8 hrs.  They suggest cutting them in half.  Don't forget to allow them to soak in the salt water for about 10 minutes first and rinse them.   Once they are dehydrated they need to be kept in an air tight container and only need to be soaked in water to make them look like new.   

Let me know how your Morel hunting is going this year.  

Preparing for summer fun with food.

   Utilizing your summer garden

Each summer, it happens naturally, plants grow and blossom.  Some plants will produce edible fruits and others will be edible themselves. 

   These plants will wither and die in the winter, but I remember the taste of that vine ripe tomato or that handful of sugar snap peas.  Though without a green house with controlled climate you cannot get that kind of freshness in the winter there are several options. Preserving the harvest becomes a summer job with options that will depend on space and time.

Dehydration:  The removal of moisture from the fruit or veggie. Sun dried or with the use of a dehydrator, this technique allows you to use the items dry or re-hydrated.  This is the most space conscious of the techniques. Mason jars with tight lids, plastic bags or vac-sealed bags are some of the ways to store dehydrated foods.

image thanks to www.survivopedia.com

Freezing:   Reducing the temperature of the item until ready for thawing and use. Freezing does take time to do properly so your food will come out of the freezer in good shape but also demands room in your freezer.

Canning:   This technique is more time consuming and detailed but allows for more variety and is actually not difficult. The enjoyment of seeing your jars of creations is quite satisfying but will take up more room on a shelf.  

Personal choice, time and space all come into account when choosing how you decide to preserve your summer harvest and exactly what to preserve.  In the coming weeks we will take each vegetable and discuss how to store each one.