Fresh, lovely and NOT sitting on my kitchen counter. These beauties came home with me from the August farmers' market. I knew how precious our time together was and wanted to make the most of it.
And I did! From fresh tomato sandwiches to salads and a gazpacho or two, we rewarded ourselves all summer.
Alas, here in the midwest, they disappeared from the markets in late September and won't reappear until late June.
My attempt at a fresh tomato salad yesterday feel short of my expectations but we finished it off. The longer it marinated in the refrigerator, the better it tasted.
This morning I found that my friend over at Simple Southern Happiness brought out some cherry tomatoes that she had frozen from her summer's bounty, turning them into a delicious looking and sounding pasta sauce. Check it out and, while you're there, check out the recipe for her yeasty rolls from a few days ago.
I've heard that tomatoes can be frozen quite successfully. While you can't defrost them and slice them up for a sandwich, they do make up into delicious sauces. There will be some in our freezer for next winter"s dining!!
I looked at tomatoes at the store today, thought of you, and didn't buy them. I rarely buy them off season anymore, rather decorating our salads with colored peppers ... they don't taste good enough to warrant their cost. I never thought of freezing tomatoes. I do remember a bumper crop one year when we lived in Illinois and had a garden in that rich black dirt--we wrapped the green tomatoes in newspaper, put them in the basement, and enjoyed them as they ripened. Not as tasty, but still good. I think we're getting another snow storm here.
ReplyDeleteno veggeis here, the ice killed thousands of acres of fruits and veggies, this is our tomato season, none, the prices are climbing and the produce is horrible in our stores. we are used to fresh tomatoes this time of year. same thing last year, the ice messed up the crop, then when the crop came in late, they let them rot in the field because they could not sell them. Florida crops come in in winter and if they come at the time everyone has their own, the market dies.
ReplyDeleteThese look lovely. I used to freeze my tomatoes in a plastic bag. When you are reding to use them for soups and sauces the peels slips right off. Whwn available I buyy Campari tomaotes; they are small, sweet and juicy good.
ReplyDeleteI just paid a visit to Simple Southern Happiness to see her pasta sauce and rolls. Both sound wonderful. I have found Roma tomatoes stored in a brown paper bag until fire red to be a passable substitute for summer's bounty. Passable being the key word :-). I hope you have a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary
ReplyDeleteGreat idea to freeze them --and then have them in WINTER... I do miss my summer tomatoes at other times of the year.
ReplyDeleteWe have LOTS of snow up here this morning. Glad we don't have to get out!!!! It's pretty and the birds are feasting at the feeders and bath.
Have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Betsy
I do like to freeze tomatoes for soups and sauces, since I have a steady supply of them in summer. I ran out of freezer space however, and had to settle for canning a few jars which are already gone. I hope to remedy that problem by next summer. :) Nothing's quite the same as a fresh warm tomato, right off the vine though, is it? Visiting Simple Southern Happiness now, to drool over pasta sauce!
ReplyDeleteGosh, she froze those little tomatoes whole! I never! I'd think you need one of those machines to suck the air out of the bag? Phil's favorite are the greenhouse ones, he likes those even better than beefsteak.
ReplyDeleteWhoa..yum!! I have never frozen tomatoes. I did not have much success with them in my garden this past summer for some reason. Hope they do better this year!
ReplyDeleteThose do look mouthwatering, Is that a pita pocket they are sitting on?
ReplyDeleteWhat can you do with green tomatoes? Or ??? oh shoot..what is that purple thing?..... OH! Eggplant..... would love to see what you come up with that.
I will be sure to send you some of my bumper crop of cherry tomatoes this year. I so hope I can get another plant from the nusery like that one I had. I doubt I could rescue the seeds now they they have been frozen and try my hand as stating from seed.
Keep up the good recipes, hubby asked what were we having for dinner tonight. I said I would have to check what you are having.
giggle.
You're killing me, Bonnie! LOL! Wanting those things to taste like summer in the dead of winter is painful!! LOL!
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Do you use a dry or a sweet Marsala for the chicken recipe?
Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Tanna
After seeing your post yesterday I bought some roma tomatoes and basil. I think I will roast some tonight. Carla
ReplyDeleteYou are a tomato kind of gal aren't you! They are good for you but not my fav.
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday!
Melinda
I adore tomatoes! Fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes! But, alas and alack, all we've got now taste like cardboard, save for, sometimes, those imported from The Netherlands at Costco's.
ReplyDeleteHi Bonnie,
ReplyDeleteAll your friends who have a glut of tomatoes, make some chutney!You can even use the green ones!
Bonnie if you hop over to my blog and scan back a few pictures you may see something you recognise.
Hug
June xx
I am freezing fresh tomato juice during September and I have it throughout winter.
ReplyDeleteHuh...I grew up freezing tomatoes in soup, but I've never heard of freezing them whole. Is there a trick to it?
ReplyDeleteI am using canned tomatoes for a lasagna today... sigh, I long for summer fruit!
ReplyDeleteI think tomatoes are just one of those thing that we appreciate so much when they are in season because we know we can't get them year around. I've roasted Roma's at their peak and frozen them. The flavor is good but I think the texture really suffers. Marinara seems to make it through the freezing process the best.
ReplyDeleteI'm lucky ..here in Sicily we have fresh and very tasty tomatoes all around the year...tonight we're going to eat pizza after going to the cinema...and ptobably i'm going to choose a MArinara one!!! Hugs, Flavia
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not, my doctor has me off tomatoes right now, and I'm misearable because I love tomato sauces. I saw those wonderful rolls the other day on SSP, and they looked divine. Wish I had one right now.
ReplyDeleteWe are having cold weather down into Central Florida, and I've been eating sort of scanty pickings of late. I haven't been to the farmer's market, but this post makes me want to head there next weekend.
XO,
Sheila :-)
I found some very tasty Kumato tomatoes at the grocery store yesterday. I wish I had better luck at growing my own tomatoes here. We are surrounded by too many trees so it's hard for them to get enough sun but I do frequent the farmers' market and hope to freeze some as you suggest.
ReplyDeleteOff to check out the link!
I have frozen tomatoes that I've grown for two years now and they are indeed wonderful in sauces as well as in soups. On the foodnetwork, sorry but I can't remember which show, the chef said he puts his tomatoes in a ziplock bag, squishes the tomatoes flat, then seals and freezes the bag. They don't take as long to defrost and the skins just come right off. I'll given that a try next year.
ReplyDeleteI am craving some summer tomatoes right now too! I don't know if there is anything better than a freshly ripened tomato, a sprinkle of salt and some freshly cracked pepper...I can only dream! I need to remember to freeze some of those beauties next summer. I love homemade tomato sauce. Thank you for sharing, my dear. I hope you have a good Monday. Let the week begin!
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