What to do with your fresh tomatoes now that you’ve peeled them

Make a tomato sauce of course!

Here’s a quick tomato sauce recipe.

Into a food processor, put the following:

18-20 of your peeled, and if so desired your seeded, fresh tomatoes
1-2 onions quartered
2-4 peeled garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1-2 tbl. fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Process all ingredients to puree.
2. Transfer to a pot.
3. Bring to a boil then lower heat to simmer, on low, for 2 hours.
4. Stir occasionally.

Serve over your favourite pasta.

Buon Appetito!

My First Crop of San Marzano Tomatoes are Ready!

Growing the San Marzano Tomato
This year I decided to plant the San Marzano variety of tomato. I chose this variety of tomato as they are favoured by Chefs world-wide and are apparently the best when used in tomato sauce.

My first harvest of lucious San Marzano Tomatoes

I’ve been pleased with the results. I planted four plants and each have yielded an impressive amount of tomatoes with more to come. The first harvest gave me about 30 tomatoes.

I’ve read they’re also one of the easiest to peel.

The thought of peeling a bunch of tomatoes usually daunts me so I don’t bother. This year, however, I decided to give it try. I read that the San Marzano variety are one of the easiest types of tomato to peel and it’s true!

See how to peel tomatoes
Watch my video to see how easy it is to remove their skins. I noticed when previewing that the complete video screen is not showing - have to make some design adjustments. Until then, if the complete video screen doesn't show you can view it on YouTube.


You can also see full instructions below, good for any type of tomato that needs to be peeled.


Instructions to peel tomatoes

1. Cut an ‘X’ into the top of the tomatoes.
2. Boil a pot of water.
3. Place tomatoes into boiling water in batches as necessary.
4. Boil for 1 minute.
5. Remove from boiling water (I used a sieve).
6. Then immediately plunge tomatoes into a bowl of ice water.
7. After about a minute they’ll be cool enough to handle.
8. Peel the skin from each tomato.

What's your favourite kind of tomato to grow?

Victoria Day Games Begin!

In preparation for this Victoria Day weekend, last night, Friday night, I visited one of my favourite nurseries. I go to this nursery when I want something interesting and unique. Or to get ideas. The plants are luscious and of high quality. The prices are not!

So last night I did some scouting after work at this nursery. I get ideas for my baskets from their baskets. I was shocked at their prices this year. Prices were no less than $20 CAD for a basket, though I have to say, they were gorgeous.

For herbs, there were some nice sized and beautiful looking organic plants, but they wanted $6.99/ea! I think not! At a local supermarket, I spied a deal of 5 herb plants for $10. I'm going there for the herbs, since I've not this year started my own from seed.

I did find something I've been wanting at this nursery. San Marzano tomato plants. I've been reading that they are the best for tomato sauce so I picked up four of them. They were reasonable. If I had more room I would have bought more.