So Many Tomatoes!

It's that time of year! Hip hip hooray! Too many tomatoes to pick, too many to eat, too many to can or freeze. Home grown tomatoes have become god's jewels to all foodies, and to non-foodies as well. Heirloom tomatoes have gained in popularity at a rate I can't even fathom. They are amazing in variety, and somehow seem to be fairly disease-resistant. My neighbors grow some that are so incredibly beautiful with yellow, peach, and pink streaks, they should take the place of a flower bouquet centerpiece on your table or kitchen island.

I am a huge fan of Green Zebras, which freeze very, very well, and make a fantastic pasta sauce in winter. This is an essential part of living well. I put in 3 plants that I bought from the farmer's market in spring, and one of the plants is producing something different. Its fruit is almost purple, bigger, and less globular than a green zebra. Maybe a Cherokee Purple?

Oh, how delightful, the surprises that come up from the ground.

For those of you who need another use for your tomato bounty, I offer this recipe. It is an old-fashioned recipe, and I'm not really sure where I got it. It is delicious on English muffins.


TOMATO JAM

Ingredients:

1 lb. tomatoes, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
3/4 c. sugar
juice of one lemon
2 t. grated ginger root
1/2 t. cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a 2-3 qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the consistency reaches a thin jam. Let cool. Refrigerate in a tightly sealed container.

Here's a tip: fresh homegrown tomatoes can be watery. You might drain the chopped tomatoes before cooking.