Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Tomatoes in December?

Last year we were left with a ton of green tomatoes at the end of the season and made Chow Chow (green tomato relish).

This year, we didn’t have anywhere near as many on the vine when the cold weather arrived so, no Chow Chow.

Still, not wanting to see them go to waste (well, to the compost pile anyway), I picked every tomato I could find -- that was large enough and in decent condition -- and put them in the garage. Mature green fruit or ones that have already begun to ripen are your best bet. If you have the right spot, you can try hanging the entire plant so the fruit ripens on the vine.

I inspected them periodically and pulled out the ones that shriveled up -- usually the smallest ones -- and the ones that rotted. A week or two ago I moved them inside to the breezeway so as not to overlook the ones that ripened. I missed a few while they were in the garage.


They don’t all make it through but it’s a treat when they do.

Here it is, Dec. 7, and I’m still getting tomatoes!

Some people just place the tomatoes blossom-side down in a sunny window. Other methods make use of various containers: brown paper bags, cardboard boxes lined with newspaper, mason jars and plastic bags with holes, often with the inclusion of an apple or banana to speed up the ripening process. Experiment and see what works for you.

And, of course, you don’t have to wait until they ripen. You can always grab a green tomato, slice it, dip it in flour and fry it up. (Don’t forget to add your favorite seasoning.)

WR

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