Green tomatoes (or what happens when you plant your garden late)

If I can manage preserving the green tomatoes the way my mom does…look out for the step-by-step. If I can get through it, I’ll need to write it down!

Tomato time

Our neighbours bought at least 10 bushels, I’m sure of it. They were out in the garage from 11am to midnight, last time I checked yesterday. Mine are just coming from my backyard. We’re jarring them as they are ready – more time consuming this way, but way fresher. Plus, I prefer these tomaotes, sweet, fleshy and huge (not the tiny Romas).

I can’t remember a summer not doing tomatoes in the backyard with family – accompanied by wasps buzzing around every tomato-splatter pot, pan, apron and chair on the back patio. Even in the heat, hearing the bubbling sound of the canning pot was a familiarity and a tradition.

There is something to be said for the tradition and culture of growing, preserving, canning and doing it all together. What can I say about it? I miss my grandparents out in the backyard at dawn doing it. I miss the huge meal we would have in between to get us through the day. I miss everyone together – laughing over the clinking jars, squirting seeds from overripe tomatoes and the line up of jars at the end of the day, proof we had gotten something done.

This year’s tomatoes are from my garden, which is great, but without a back patio, I’m in my kitchen. Alone and yet joined by years of tomato time with everyone else. In my head, doing tomatoes has never been so quiet.