Tuesday, July 27, 2010

To Tomato, With Love: Tigress' Can Jam August Pick


Dear Tomato,

You are the one. How can August be August without you? How could Tigress' Can Jam be complete without you? Isn't it amazing how far you've come—from a green or golden little-known fruit in South America to a many-colored phenomenon featured on people's plates the world over? People have called you some strange names, like "love apple" and "wolf peach," but you made it into your own genus, Lycopersicon esulentum, a while ago. It's amazing that people see you as a vegetable, but really you're a fruit, and if you want to get specific, you're classified as a berry! Quel scandale!


And speaking of scandal, I know there's been talk of your notoriety, being from the Nightshade Family and all. I didn't know that your leaves were slightly poisonous if eaten, and that you are toxic to dogs! But I won't hold that against you. I know you're not trying to be mean, you're just trying to protect yourself.


Thank goodness you can be canned! You know, in a hot water bath so we can enjoy you in the winter months when you are long gone? Like the fruit you really are, your acid levels are high enough to pass muster (I know you need a little bit of lemon juice to help you out, though). It makes me dreamy: tomato sauce, tomato juice, tomato paste, tomato salsa, hot sauce, ketchup, and just you—tomatoes—in a glass jar are a thing of beauty! And I won't forget when you get all fancy and jump into a jam or confit or something like that. You can really change gears from work horse to operatic diva.

This is why I am picking you to be the star of August's Can Jam. I know everybody loves you every which way. Plums, cherries, big beefsteaks, heirlooms, greens, reds, yellows, oranges, and for good measure, let's include your cousins, tomatillos and husk tomatoes! Summer just wouldn't be summer without you!

Love,
Julia

Husk Tomatoes

P.S. The Deets: Your recipe must be posted between Sunday, August 15 and Friday, August 20. The deadline is Friday at midnight. Tomatoes should be ready everywhere! If the major crop isn't in, think of this as a test run for when it does! Read up on your tomatoes and use approved recipes. There's a lot of great information out there!

Tomatillos

17 comments:

  1. Awesome choice! Yay for tomatoes!

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  2. FINALLY.

    Although, I say "finally" when I'm really just hoping that Colorado will heat up enough to produce some tomatoes in August...

    Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

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  3. Yay! They likely won't be ripe for me yet....but who cares...I love tomatoes and can't wait to get the lowdown so when mine come in I can celebrate the bounty! I have 19 plants this year!

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  4. Yahooo! Can't wait to wheel some of every kind home from the market. What a sweet letter, too.

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  5. Those days between Tigress' roundup and the next ingredient reveal are like living in limbo land. Thankfully I can begin to live again, get out all the books, put on my research hat and immerse myself in another amazing ingredient. Thanks Julia for a fine choice. I say tomaarto, you say tomaayto...

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  6. I want to preserve tomatoes this year. Can't wait to see what you all do!

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  7. Much like Gloria, the anticipation kills me. I check and I check and keep saying "go away blueberry post" then I take a nap and awake to tomato with love! Great post, great choice! My tomatoes may not be ready but imagine the choices I will have when they are. I can't wait to see what everyone prepares so I can try something new. What will I do, who knows, certainly not I.

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  8. great post and lovely photos!!! and i am sooooo happy that i will actually have tomatoes to can this year! :)

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  9. I'm with Carter, hoping there are enough tomatoes ready in August in Seattle. This has been an upside down year. We still don't have cucumbers and likely won't until September in my yard...

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  10. Excellent. 20 lbs of organic tomatoes from the farmers market for pasta sauce was already on my list for tomorrow morning. Now I just have to come up with the perfect recipe.

    -the redhead-

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  11. yay julia! perfect pick: i have a long list of 'love apple' canning projects i need to put up for the year! i'm getting my 'wolf peaches' and getting started today!

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  12. My gosh! This is truly going to be a great tomato season if measured by your garden. Your tomatillos look fab!

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  13. We're having a cool season - my tomatoes are only just now blossoming.

    Farmers' market time for this little 'Grain

    Regards,

    Tengrain

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  14. Well written, Julia...

    I admire the CanJammers - even though I can't seem to commit. I live vicariously through you guys, and will no doubt be canning some tomatoey goodness myself, though I am thinking of drying some of my cherry tomato varieties this year.

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  15. Great post and wonderful choice. Can't decide what to make - soooo many possibilities!!!

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  16. Hey Everybody! Thanks so much for commenting! Glad that there is excitement despite the cool weather that some of you are having. I must say, my tomato harvest is coming along slowly as well, with a case of blossom-end rot causing much vexation. But I do intend to patronize my local farmers and get a huge box of them to can and freeze, because I didn't have enough to make it through the last winter. I'm really looking forward to a huge round-up so I can have tomatoes canned, many ways!!

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  17. Our post is up, in under the wire! :) http://marriedwithdinner.com/2010/08/20/canning-salsa-negra/

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