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Sunday, November 16, 2014

THE PERFECT DAY FOR NESTING

That's what my father called it when my mother got busy baking and making jam. It was usually one of those cold English days when everyone turns to the kitchen for cheer. This morning was just like one of those days from my childhood. I call it dank, damp and dreary. I ventured outside but not for long. Bone chilling. I had a job to do in the kitchen.


Yesterday morning I uncovered the lone cherry tomato plant. It had not fared well in the frost. There was nothing to do but pick all the tomatoes and find something to do with them. I could make more green tomato chutney but I fancied a change. A little research came up with a recipe for pickling the tomatoes. I had all the equipment but needed to get a few fresh spices which I picked up at our local Central Market. What a wonderful idea just to be able to buy the small amount you need instead of a whole jar. Spices don't last for ever.


I found the recipe at Garden Betty, Four ways for pickled green tomatoes. I chose two of the suggestions. The basic pickling spices and the curry with ginger.


Here are the jars ready to go in the canner; the canner that I bought back in 1972 and have carried from house to house since then. In fact, when David got it down from the high shelf in the garage he was surprised to find two cycling helmets in there!


The canning process took 20 minutes and now I have my jars of pickled tomatoes. Can't wait to taste them. Thanks Garden Betty for the recipe.
The rest of the tomatoes I am going to make curried tomatoes as a side dish, suggested by one of my garden blogging friends. I think it might make a nice accompaniment to some Texas redfish caught by David.

6 comments:

  1. You'll have to provide an update on how the pickled tomatoes taste. I've never heard of treating them that way but it sounds like a great way to use the leftovers. They make a pretty picture too.

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  2. Sounds yummy! I'd try it but we said goodbye to our tomatoes months ago.

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  3. A-plus for beauty - those jars look tempting already! What a great antipasti plate you could have on Thanksgiving with your pickled tomatoes in the mix. I hope you'll update us later as to how they turn out.

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  4. The perfect way to spend a cold and dreary day! I will keep your recipe for next years tomatoes.

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  5. Those look good.

    I'm about to try your Green Tomato Chutney recipe.
    I've never 'canned' anything. We'll see how this works out.
    My mother used to can a lot. She had one of those big pressure canner things.

    Pressure cookers always made me nervous, as a kid. I kept expecting them to blow up...lol

    They were sort of the microwaves of the day.

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    1. I feel the same way about pressure cookers Linda. My mum had one and I was always afraid it was going to explode. By the way, I do not can the chutney. I sterilize the jars and equipment and pour directly into the hot jars. they always seal. And I reuse jam jars and their lids. If the lid doesn't pop, which is very rare, I just put them in the fridge. It keeps for years. I do can tomatoes though.

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