Three Little Known Ways To Make Use Of Tomatoes

Three Little Known Ways To Make Use Of Tomatoes FARM HOME Food 21-4-35 Dried Tomato Paste Italian women in Frank Cuccia's boyhood neighborhood made tomato paste using a method he hasn't seen or heard of since. They dried it. Garden-fresh tomatoes were washed and boiled in huge kettles. The next day, skins and seeds were separated from the juice. Tomato sauce was next dipped out of a small pan and spread out with a spoon on plywood sheets in the backyard. The sun dried the sauce which was turned with a spatula. The process continued for about two weeks until the shrinking sheets of sauce were moved onto smaller boards. When it was dry enough, the sauce was rolled off the plywood into big balls weighing up to 2 lbs. apiece. The balls were packed into stone crocks and covered with corn oil. Crocks were stored in the cellar and covered with cheesecloth. "This paste was so thick and rich that it only took four tablespoons and some water to make enough sauce for a meal for the eight of us," says Cuccia, now retired to Florida. Old-Time Tomato Wine Squeeze juice from clean, ripe tomatoes and add 4 lbs. of brown sugar to each gallon. Put in sugar immediately. Let stand in keg or barrel for two or three months, then draw off into bottles, carefully avoiding the sediment. Makes a most delightful wine, having all the beauties of the tomato. It must be tasted to be appreciated. (From Dr. Chase's Recipes, or Information for Everybody, 1866). Do-It-Yourself Ketchup Apple is the surprise ingredient in this recipe which yields a rich, tomatoey taste without a lot of sugar and salt. From Reader's Digest Live Longer Cookbook and submitted by Joan Wilkinson, Billings, Mont. Ingredients: 4 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 4 cans low-sodium tomatoes with juice 2 medium sweet apples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped 1 1/2 small yellow onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, sliced 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1 cinnamon stick Combine all ingredients in enameled or stainless steel saucepan. Bring to boil over moderate heat, then lower heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally until apples are soft. Discard cinnamon stick. In food processor or blender, whirl ketchup for 1 minute or until smooth. Pour into 7 1/2-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 in. of space between ketchup and top of jar. Cover with dome lids and rings; place lids in boiling water and return to boil. Remove and let cool. Store in cool, dry place for up to 6 months.

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.