Subject: Re: Green Tomatoes From: hedra@magma.ca (Sandra P. Hoffman) Organization: Magma Communications Ltd. Date: Mon, 30 Oct 00 19:13:12 Message-ID: <MOD$001030.15721@rec.gardens.ecosystems> References: <MOD$001030.26938@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
On Mon, 30 Oct 00 12:29:31, jaykhill@aol.comJayKhill (Jaykhill) wrote:
> >Here in Northern Virginia we have had a very graceful coming on of cold >weather. We still have some very fine tomatoes, yet unripened, which I wish to >rescue from impending frost. > >My grandfather could take green tomatoes, wrap them in newspaper, and store >them so they ripened perfectly. I tried it many years ago and all I got was >foul smelling goo. > >Anyone know the trick to doing this. If not, how about a good recipe for green >tomato relish.
Pick the tomatoes before frost. I only try to ripen those that are
showing some lightening of colour at the blossom end. I don't wrap
them completely. I lay them in shallow trays, one layer deep and stack
the trays with spacers. If you have a source of bulk cupcake papers,
I've used those to set each individual tomato in. Otherwise, I would
cut newspaper down so that each tomato would be nestled in its own
half wrapper.
I do it this way rather than a full wrap so that it is easier to check
the tomatoes regulalry to take out any that are either ripe or
rotting. I've used those crates that tangerines or mandarins come in
around Christmas time. They stack nicely with space between each
crate.But I've also used shallow cardboard boxes with pieces of 1 by 3
wood as spacers.
I try to keep tomatoes at a similar stage of ripeness together. It
makes checking easier. I check them once or twice a week. Finally, the
best type of tomato to take in and store this way are Longkeepers.
They are not the most flavourful tomatoes around but, picked green
they will ripen in storage and hold for several months. We have eaten
our own longkeepers after three months of storage and while they
certainly do not rival a fresh picked tomato for flavour, they are way
better than what you can get in a store here in January.
sph
Ottawa, ON, Canada
The voices of the cicadas
Penetrate the rocks. -- Basho