I'm hoping this year to can some tomatoes as, well, tomatoes.
Mostly, I can tomato juice/sauce. It's just so much easier.
Clarence picked all the ripe tomatoes he could one night this week, in anticipation of a coming rain. He wanted to get them before the rain made the skins split. It wasn't a large harvest, but more than we would eat fresh before they spoiled, so he got out our Presto "Food Strainer and Sauce Maker". Dandy sounding name, isn't it?
The girls have always loved helping with this job. I'm kind of surprised that their enthusiasm hasn't waned much as they've gotten older. I guess there's just something about throwing tomatoes in the hopper, cranking the handle, and watching the sauce come out while the seeds and skins spit out the end. Or maybe we're just easily entertained.
A few years ago Clarence started lining a mesh colander with cheesecloth to catch the sauce. Some of the excess water drains into the cake pan he sets below the colander. We scoop the tomato sauce into a stock pot, cook it down a little more, and then I can it.
This batch of tomatoes yielded about 6 cups of sauce so we put it in the fridge. We'll add it to the next batch we get and cook it all down at once.
Mostly, I can tomato juice/sauce. It's just so much easier.
Clarence picked all the ripe tomatoes he could one night this week, in anticipation of a coming rain. He wanted to get them before the rain made the skins split. It wasn't a large harvest, but more than we would eat fresh before they spoiled, so he got out our Presto "Food Strainer and Sauce Maker". Dandy sounding name, isn't it?
The girls have always loved helping with this job. I'm kind of surprised that their enthusiasm hasn't waned much as they've gotten older. I guess there's just something about throwing tomatoes in the hopper, cranking the handle, and watching the sauce come out while the seeds and skins spit out the end. Or maybe we're just easily entertained.
A few years ago Clarence started lining a mesh colander with cheesecloth to catch the sauce. Some of the excess water drains into the cake pan he sets below the colander. We scoop the tomato sauce into a stock pot, cook it down a little more, and then I can it.
This batch of tomatoes yielded about 6 cups of sauce so we put it in the fridge. We'll add it to the next batch we get and cook it all down at once.
I'm sure Allison can hardly wait since she didn't get to help with this batch.
I love how the house smells when the sauce is cooking down.
ReplyDeleteYummy!
Becky K.
My kids would love the job of cranking down on the tomatoes to squish them...I will have to get one of those!
ReplyDeleteannie
I guess it is a good thing we didn't do a garden this year - we have had so much rain lately the tomatoes would have all been ruined!
ReplyDeleteI like to make things from scratch, but have never done the sauce. Looks like fun.
Our tomatoes aren't even pink yet. I want them to be rippe before I go to college!!!!
ReplyDeleteI love you keeka!
xoxo
~Victoria
Great looking tomatoes. I would love for you to join in Crock Pot Wednesdays at Diningwithdebbie.blogspot.com. Mister Linky is up and ready for your entry. Thanks for posting.
ReplyDelete