Survivors

It's already November and my front yard tomatoes just won't give up! I can hardly believe it but I've got tomato plants with big ripening tomatoes and even flowers. I think the flowers are doomed, frankly, as it hardly gets above 65 degrees now. But the tomatoes that are already formed will ripen . . . slowly, slowly.

The taste isn't what it was in the heat of summer, but still. They're better than anything you'd buy at the supermarket. I'm using them for stews now, and chili. Yum!

2014 garden favorites

Almost Fall. Well, in fact, it is Fall, but here in northern California, Fall is our real Summer. So it's hot, not colorful like Fall is in other places. The summer vegetables know it's Fall, nevertheless, and they are on their way out. We still have fabulous tomatoes, and chard, and peppers, but soon...very soon...we'll be uprooting these and planting winter crops.



What were our favorite summer vegetables of 2014? Without a doubt they were the Brandywine heirloom tomatoes (OMG) and the padron peppers. The heirlooms were just plain delicious - green and dark red and not always the most beautiful classic tomatoes - but their taste told the true story. Sweet, they were really sweet. And tomato-y. Wow.




The padrons, well they are some good tasting peppers. Green, they're mild and wonderful fried up whole with a little salt. Red, they have a kick, and are best cut up in beans, or rice, or with chicken or pork, or in salsa. They have such a good taste! I still have a whole bunch that I'm drying, day by day, in the sun on the front porch. We'll enjoy them all winter long.

Tomato Time!

We harvested our first tomato last week although the tomatoes on the other

plants are not quite ready yet.  Then we had to celebrate with the first BLTs

of the season. Delicious!

Roasted tomatoes, plus dill pickles

Buried in luscious homegrown tomatoes? This time of year is a real challenge - you don't want to waste a single precious tomato, because once they're gone that's all you'll get till next year! But wow, so many tomatoes. How many sliced tomatoes, how many BLTs, can you really eat?

I found a great recipe for roasted tomatoes, which I can then freeze and use for fresh roasted tomato sauce in January when you can't find a decent fresh tomato anywhere! I did it today, and it was easy. Besides, the roasted tomatoes are so delicious, I've already eaten two right out of the pan. Mmmmmm.

• Preheat your oven to 275 degrees.
• Prep a cookie sheet with sides by lining it with parchment paper.
• I used Roma tomatoes, because they have less water in them and are best for sauce. Use whatever you have. Core and wash your tomatoes, and cut them in half lengthwise. Put them cut side up on the parchment, one right next to the other. Fill that cookie sheet up! Then peel some garlic cloves and strew them right over the tomatoes. Take some fresh (if you have it) oregano and basil and strew those leaves over the tomatoes. Sprinkle on a little sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Top with a good drizzle of olive oil.
• Roast in your 275 degree oven for 5 hours. Yes, you saw that right...5 hours.
• Let cool, then put the tomatoes in a freezer bag, including any oil and herbs and garlic, and freeze. Keeps for 6 months.

When you want to make a sauce, thaw the tomatoes in your fridge. Saute an onion in olive oil, then add the thawed tomatoes and cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Toss with pasta. Delicioso!

P.S. I tasted the dill pickles I put up two weeks ago today, and they are good. Tart! Dilly! Tasty! Yum!