Posted on 06/23/2009 4:05:55 PM PDT by Former MSM Viewer
I did not know that tomatoes ripen that early in Missouri. Do the tomato plants keep producing until the first frost?
yes. The Mennonites start seedlings in temporary greenhouses. They’re smart business people too, selling their tomatoes for $3.65/lb, until competing fresh tomatoes arrive at the end of June. Then their price comes down and they have lots of other stuff to sell, including hard-neck garlic, onions, beans, etc.
Thanks for sharing...
A quick dip in hot water and then through the food mill.
I have a strainer like that. Mine is made by Vitantonio. Works very well if you are making sauce. If you are going to just can tomatoes you still need to peel them.
If your goal is a thick sauce, once the tomatoes have been pureed, don’t boil them. Put them in a stock pot with the lid “ajar” (tilted on one side) and simmer on LOW. That allows the excess liquid to cook down, leaving more tomato flavor. If it still isn’t thick enough for you, mix cornstarch with ice water to thicken it up. Not sure about the quantity that you’re working with, but for a rule of thumb use 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1/4 cup of ice water per 2 cups of puree. Stir until the cornstarch is absorbed by the water and add to your tomatoes. Stir until thickened. If it still isn’t thick enough, add more cornstarch/water.
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