Jen’s garden is going off this week.  We’ve got abundant herbs, chilis, cucumbers and tons of other stuff.  But the tomatoes are the star of the show.  We are probably getting 2 or 3 pints a day out of it right now.  We’ve got big purple heirlooms, perfect red Romas, then 2 kinds of cherry and some yellow grapes.  I’m not very much help with gardening itself, but I love preparing them as they come in. Here’s what we’ve done so far.

Sliced with salt – During July August and September eat as many raw, freshly harvested tomatoes as you can: as a snack, in salads, on sandwiches.  It’s hands down the best way to enjoy them.  We’ve made gifts to some friends and neighbors, which is good karma any way you look at it.

Caprese – fresh mozzarella, basil, ripe tomatoes, olive oil, salt.

Gazpacho – This is a great recipe even without the seafood, basically substitute in whatever veggies are best in your house that day (and don’t feel like you have to run to the store if you don’t have everything – improvise, its about the fresh tomatoes).  Cucumbers, fresh chilies, zuchini, grean beans and lettuce would all work well.

Sun Dried – I threw about 15 halved and salted cherries in the oven on low for 6 hours and dried them out – it’s a welcome variation and fresh tomatoes really make a difference.  I made some fresh pork sausages with them that were sublimely tasty (a lot of fresh basil and oregano, some red wine.  Don’t forget the back fat.)  We’ll probably take 3 or 4 pints of our remaining harvest and dry them then store them under oil for the winter.  I may even try to dry them using the actual sun.

Quick sauce – Some people claim they don’t make sauce with fresh tomatoes (cause raw are much better), but Jen and I really look forward to August and a quick simple sauce from fresh tomatoes, run through a food mill over fresh wide pasta.  Olive oil, a little onion, an herb, salt and pepper.

PS Get well soon to my Dad, whose garden is defnitely bigger than your dad’s garden.  He had his hip replaced Friday and is recovering well, although he isn’t the kind of guy that likes to be cooped up in a hospital room in August.  I made my first dollar when I was six or seven selling tomatoes from his backyard plot to a local restauranteur.

Posted: August 10th, 2008 under food, wine.
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