A bunch of big ol chonky cukes...from one overachieving H19 Little Leaf cucumber plant.
The biggest ones look just like the cukes I see my local deli use for half sours.
I've done two batches of dehydrated cherry tomatoes this season: halved with seeds intact (right), and halved with seeds and gel removed (left).
There is a noticeable difference in color and texture between the two methods. The ones with the seeds are duller in color and more leathery / pliable in texture. The ones with the seeds removed are bright, and stiff enough to snap or crack. I prefer the final product with the seeds removed. The color is robust, the drier tomatoes should have a longer shelf life, it takes far less time to dehydrate, and it looks a lot nicer if gifting the final product.
As for what to do with the seeds / gel left over? I strained out the seeds and used the remaining liquid in a batch of jasmine rice. Instead of doing all water when boiling the rice, I substituted part of the water for the tomato juices. It turned out pretty nice. Not in-your-face tomato, but it definitely made the rice not as bland and gave it a bit of tomato color.
Good morning all! I have a bunch of tomatoes from my garden that I've frozen over the past few weeks. I usually make sauce that is stored in the freezer, but this year I would like to try using these in a tested canning recipe for either sauce or crushed tomatoes. But I can't find any clear guidance on using frozen tomatoes in one of these recipes.
For my prep process, I've washed, cored, and either halved or quartered the tomatoes (depending on size). I cut off any green or cracked shoulders. The skin, and remaining gel and seeds were left intact. They have been frozen on a single layer on a baking sheet, then moved to freezer bags. About half the tomatoes are paste types. The rest are a mix of any heirlooms and cherry tomatoes that we couldn't use or give away before going overripe. I've also added some extra ends and shoulders of tomatoes sliced for sandwiches that were in good condition.
How do I get from these frozen tomatoes to using a tested canning recipe? EX:
If there's anything else I should keep in mind when starting from frozen tomatoes please let me know. Thanks!
I ran out of time to set up a dedicated bed and sturdy trellis for my black Futsu squash, so I ended up throwing some seeds in the back of one of my raised beds. The vines are growing like crazy and they're just starting to bloom!
Hopefully there is enough time left for the fruit to mature, but even if not the vine and blooms are so beautiful it was worth it.
First time growing this lovely potato leaf variety! Robust fruiting, plus even more hidden under the leaves. There's quite a variety of fruit shapes, from round, to ox heart, to this pear / dumpling like shape.
Compared to my other non-cherry tomatoes, this variety has dropped few blossoms and continued to have good fruit set in the heat. It suckers about half as much as my other indeterminates and has a more compact, restrained growth habit. If the flavor holds out, this is a keeper! Looking forward to comparing it side by side with black krim.
A happy tomato plant doing happy tomato plant things in Southern New England.