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Hi, guys!
There’s no better season than tomato season! I currently have three dozen green Big Boys taking their dear, sweet time turning red in the garden (after thieving squirrels deprived me of an earlier harvest). I spend my free time daydreaming about what I’m going to do with them.
Some will surely end up in sandwiches (with fresh mozzarella and a light pesto spread) or gracing burgers and grilled cheese sandwiches — or even served on squishy white bread with a smear of mayo, a sprinkle of salt and a lot of black pepper.
I’ll preserve the rest for later.
I spent a sweltering day processing and canning two bushels of Roma tomatoes a few years ago, and the family’s consensus was NEVER AGAIN! If you can your own tomatoes, my hat’s off to you. I prefer the path of least resistance, so I’m Team Freeze.
There are three ways I freeze tomatoes.
🍅The first couldn’t be any easier: Rinse, dry and drop the whole thing into a large zipper-top plastic bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible and place the bag in the freezer. When you want to add a tomato to soups, stews, stir-fries or other cooked dishes—or make pasta sauce—just remove it from the bag, defrost slightly (or place under cool running water) and wipe the skin off with your fingers. Dice, slice, chop or even add it to the pot whole (it’ll break down fairly easily).
🍅The second way is a bit more labor intensive but still a cinch compared to processing. Blanch tomatoes by dropping them into a pot of boiling water for a couple of minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon, allow to cool so you can handle them, and peel off the skin (blanching loosens skins for easy removal). Cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze out their seeds and juices (optional), then dice them up and freeze in two or three different sizes of zipper-top bags to accommodate your future needs.
🍅Option number three comes in handy if you know you’re going to be using your tomatoes in a specific recipe (pasta sauce or curry, for example). Blanch and dice as above, add salt, garlic, ginger, onion, herbs or whatever seasonings your recipe calls for, then simmer in a saucepan for 10 minutes. Allow to cool and freeze as above. When you need them, simply reheat, add oil (if desired) and tomato paste to thicken, if necessary.
Ain’t nobody got time for that?
If you have ripe tomatoes today and would like to make a fresh pasta sauce, you can remove skins and seeds (or not; it’s up to you), dice tomatoes, add them to a saucepan with garlic and basil, or your choice of herbs, thicken with paste, if desired, and call it a day. It’ll be delicious.
Or, you could go the extra mile and roast your tomatoes first. This method works with everything from cherry and grape tomatoes to halved Roma-type plums and quartered larger varieties. Place them in a single layer on a rimmed cookie sheet, add thinly shaved garlic and onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add a drizzle of oil. Then roast at 350 degrees until the tomatoes fully collapse. At this point, I just add them to my pasta with fresh basil. The deep, rich roasted tomato flavor, balanced with the fresh basil, tastes like summer. But if you’d like a smooth, rather than chunky, sauce, give the whole thing (including pan juices) a quick spin in a blender or food processor (be careful not to overdo it).
How do you preserve and prepare your homegrown tomatoes?
Send me your tips, and they might get published in a future edition of The Weekly Dirt!
📬 Ask Jessica
DEAR JESSICA: I found this weed in our garden. My sister claims that this is Alternanthera sessilis, commonly known as joyweed. She cooks and eats it in Tennessee, but I am not sure that it is the same plant she eats and the one we eat in India.
Is there a place on Long Island that can advise me on this? I would be happy to bring a sample. — Sharada Jayagopal, M.D., East Williston, NY
DEAR SHARADA: Your weed does not look like Alternanthera Sessilis; it’s purslane, a common garden weed.
For in-person plant IDs and consultations, you can bring a sample to your local cooperative extension's diagnostic help desk; most states have them in most counties. The Cornell Cooperative Extension office in East Meadow is closest to East Williston, NY.
The USDA has a tool to help you find your nearest cooperative extension office. Click on “extension’ in the search results to be directed.
💡 If you do one thing this week…
Ensure cucumbers get sufficient water — drought, which seems universally rampant this summer, turns them bitter. Pay close attention to melons, squash, beans, peppers, corn and tomatoes, too — they’re among the most vulnerable to drought stress.
🔥50 % OFF FIRE SALE!
Grab one of the remaining copies of my 2022 Day-by-Day Gardening Calendar at half price — just $12.50—while they last! That’s less than 25 cents a week for 365 garden tips and chores.
If you’re unfamiliar, hanging one of these babies on your wall is like having a complete gardening course in a wall calendar! I’ve included 365 tips and chores to ensure your garden stays on track every day of the year. You’ll never miss a sowing, planting, fertilizing, pest-control or other important gardening date again!
By the end of the year, I promise, you’ll have earned a green thumb! Plus, your wall will be adorned with award-winning photography provided by The Weekly Dirt readers.
👏 Sunday shoutout
Linda Santorello of East Northport, NY, rejoiced when her garden was recently treated to some natural irrigation. “Finally, rain on my tomatoes,” she said, capturing the precious raindrops on her ripening fruit. “They are happy.”
Send in your photo, and you could be featured next!
📰This week in my Associated Press gardening column
I write a weekly gardening column for the AP so that you might have seen my byline in your local paper (or news website) — wherever in the world you happen to be. In case you miss it, though, I’ll post the most recent here every week.
Stressed Lawns: Is your turfgrass looking like straw? Here’s how to save it.
Mosquitoes: How to take your garden and yard back from mosquitoes.
Harvesting potatoes: Knowing when to dig up potatoes can be tricky! Some tips.
Attracting birds to your garden: Follow my tips for creating a bird-friendly habitat.
Monarch butterflies are in trouble: Newly categorized as “endangered,” the beloved monarch needs our help. The good news: It doesn’t take much.
Gardening in drought? Get my tips for keeping your plants alive and thriving — and some surprising water sources to use whether or not you’re under restrictions.
Want more? You can read all my AP gardening columns here.
Let’s be friends! Follow me @JesDamiano on Instagram
📧 How’m I doing?
I welcome your comments and suggestions, so please send them along — as well as any topics you’d like to see covered and questions you’d like answered in the Ask Jessica section.
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Preserving tomatoes 3 ways
Great tips! Thanks for sharing. I plan on including a link to this blog on my monthly gardening science newsletter. Email me at Rebguenette@gmail.com if you would like a complimentary copy.