58 pounds of green tomatoes

I guess I have a good eye...  here are 58 pounds of green tomatoes in good shape.  Five or ten pounds only made it as far as the compost pile.

So the issues are...

• What should I do with them?

• Should I just try every recipe that looks interesting because there certainly is enough of them?

• What do I have the energy for?  Seems like it would be nice to make a chutney or jam, some pickles, and a salsa.  That's a lot of work, and my energy has taken a serious nose-dive this weekend.

• If I pickle some, will they get mushy?  I would rather they stay kinda crunchy.

Come on, green tomato lovers, help me out here!

Do you see the white bowl filled with the green romas?  They came from one plant, and the huge tomatoes hung together on the vines like clusters of grapes.  I really wanted to taste these ripe, but not a single one ever made it.

I left four plants growing because they're in a different area that gets a lot of sun and air circulation.  The vines on those plants are still quite healthy so maybe some of those tomatoes will ripen.  (And that is a lesson on tomato placement for next year's garden.)

It was weird to harvest all of these and rip out the plants.  I have felt sad about the dumb tomato year.   My plants suffered from the weather as did many other tomato plants in this area.  Also, I got most of my plants from one nursery, and most of them suffered from some weird leaf curl thing that held back their growth during the last part of spring.  It took a long time for them to recover.

But I tried to keep my focus on the positive.  I'm grateful that I'm learning how to preserve things.  These tough beauties didn't grow in vain.  They will be enjoyed!  (Cynthia --ooops! --, only a pound or two seem as though they might ripen on the counter.  I'll try your trick.  Thanks!)

Comments

[nyjlm]

I *love* pickled tomatoes. I don't know why I didn't think of it when you wrote about this earlier. Yes, they will stay crunchy. Mind you, I've never pickled a thing in my life, but I have eaten many a pickled tomato. In fact, I would go so far as to say that I would possibly fly out to see you to eat some with you : )

[tammy]

Did you see this easy recipe for green tomato salsa?

http://crabappleherbs.com/blog/2008/07/16/garden-impatience-green-tomato-salsa/

[Lisa]

I'd love to claim credit for the ripening tomato advice but that was from Cynthia.

I'll be curious to know what you come up with!

[Taylor]

Picalilly? (Essentially green tomato relish)

Green tomato mincemeat?

There are recipes for both in the Ball Canning Book.