tomato garden-2014

[camochef]

Originally Posted by kath

Camo, your generous spirit shows through in your willingness to share your knowledge and experience with all of us. At 64, I'm feeling some age-related changes, too, so I can relate.

Take care and enjoy the rest of the season!

kath

Kath,
Thanks again!
I was thinking, instead of looking for non-juicy tomatoes, why not pick up something like a Victorio Strainer. We bought one back in the late 70's and have been using it steadily to process tomatoes for over 35 tears.
We did get all the extra screens and augers at that time so we can do everything from berries to pumpkins with it. Probably one of the best investments we ever made.
You know with all the use it got here, it was certainly put to the test.
Enjoy!
Camo

[camochef]

Originally Posted by Labradors2

I'm dying to see Camo's grow list (of ten plants?) for next year!

Linda

Linda,
Stay tuned! I will post it as soon as I know.
Camo

[kath]

Originally Posted by camochef

Kath,
Thanks again!
I was thinking, instead of looking for non-juicy tomatoes, why not pick up something like a Victorio Strainer. We bought one back in the late 70's and have been using it steadily to process tomatoes for over 35 tears.
We did get all the extra screens and augers at that time so we can do everything from berries to pumpkins with it. Probably one of the best investments we ever made.
You know with all the use it got here, it was certainly put to the test.
Enjoy!
Camo

We have one, Camo, but it's a matter of not wanting to do long cooking when making sauce, paste, thick salsa, bbq sauce, etc. I'm trying to get away from the messy and time-consuming efforts required to separate clear liquid from tomato pulp. Also I've found that solid, meaty tomatoes that are quick to deseed are the best for dehydrating because they still have some substance afterwards.

kath

[camochef]

Originally Posted by kath

We have one, Camo, but it's a matter of not wanting to do long cooking when making sauce, paste, thick salsa, bbq sauce, etc. I'm trying to get away from the messy and time-consuming efforts required to separate clear liquid from tomato pulp. Also I've found that solid, meaty tomatoes that are quick to deseed are the best for dehydrating because they still have some substance afterwards.

kath

Ok! One last suggestion. Use a baster to suck out seeds and pulp before slicing and placing in dehydrator. Good Luck
Camo

[kath]

Originally Posted by camochef

Ok! One last suggestion. Use a baster to suck out seeds and pulp before slicing and placing in dehydrator. Good Luck
Camo

Not to be difficult, but I have used a baster in combination with the different methods I've used to separate pulp from clear juice which have all been too time-consuming. I'm not sure how you suck out seeds and (gel?) before slicing.

kath

I slice and dry them with skin, seeds, and gel. I want the gel in my dried tomatoes. It seems to contain most of the tomato flavor. The meat without the gel sometimes seems almost flavorless.

The seed and core are fairly easy to remove when required at the time of use. I cook a lot with a tomato paste or slurry made with some dried slices in a little water in a small, wide mouth canning jar placed in the microwave for thirty seconds. A few seconds with a hand blender gets rid of the skin and seed, but retains the full tomato flavor.

Ted

[kath]

Thanks for sharing your techniques, Ted. I use the bits in small amounts to add to soups & stews and really don't want the gel or seeds- just want to be able to grab a few pieces and add them to whatever.

[camochef]

Originally Posted by kath

Not to be difficult, but I have used a baster in combination with the different methods I've used to separate pulp from clear juice which have all been too time-consuming. I'm not sure how you suck out seeds and (gel?) before slicing.

kath

Kath,
Though I've never done it myself...I would imagine if you cut the tomato in half at the equator, you could simply use a baster to suck them out.

Myself, I slice a tomato up, use my toothpicks, (one flat,-one pointed), to remove seeds for saving. Then place slices on dehydrator trays. Once dried, I simply place them in my spice grinder and make tomato powder.
I do that with shallots, leeks, onions, and garlic too. When passing on recipes, newcomers always want to know where I get my shallot and leek powders. Some want to know about tomato powders but that can be found on various websites. Pretty reasonable at many, but no control over tomato varieties.

A great time-saver when cooking in the kitchen later on.
Enjoy!
Camo

[kath]

Originally Posted by camochef

Kath,
Though I've never done it myself...I would imagine if you cut the tomato in half at the equator, you could simply use a baster to suck them out.

Myself, I slice a tomato up, use my toothpicks, (one flat,-one pointed), to remove seeds for saving. Then place slices on dehydrator trays. Once dried, I simply place them in my spice grinder and make tomato powder.
I do that with shallots, leeks, onions, and garlic too. When passing on recipes, newcomers always want to know where I get my shallot and leek powders. Some want to know about tomato powders but that can be found on various websites. Pretty reasonable at many, but no control over tomato varieties.

A great time-saver when cooking in the kitchen later on.
Enjoy!
Camo

Sucking seeds and gel out of all the locules in beefsteaks with a baster is exactly the type of time-consuming activity I'm seeking to eliminate by finding a nearly seed and gel-free option that does well for me. This year I grew a long pointy paste that I can halve lengthwise and then with a quick swipe of the finger get rid of any seeds and/or gel that might be there- and often there is none! Next year I'd like to grow other like varieties and compare them for taste, productivity, disease-resistance, etc.

Love the idea of the powders but have been afraid to commit to a grinder. Is there one that you would recommend?

Thanks,

kath

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by kath

Sucking seeds and gel out of all the locules in beefsteaks with a baster is exactly the type of time-consuming activity I'm seeking to eliminate by finding a nearly seed and gel-free option that does well for me. This year I grew a long pointy paste that I can halve lengthwise and then with a quick swipe of the finger get rid of any seeds and/or gel that might be there- and often there is none! Next year I'd like to grow other like varieties and compare them for taste, productivity, disease-resistance, etc.



Love the idea of the powders but have been afraid to commit to a grinder. Is there one that you would recommend?



Thanks,



kath

I have a couple of round wooden chopsticks I saved from a Chinese restaurant and use them much the way Camochef uses the toothpicks. They have a nice blunt end that doesn't stab into the tomato flesh and tear it up. A baster sounds like a lot more work.

[kath]

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

I have a couple of round wooden chopsticks I saved from a Chinese restaurant and use them much the way Camochef uses the toothpicks. They have a nice blunt end that doesn't stab into the tomato flesh and tear it up. A baster sounds like a lot more work.

No chopsticks here- when saving seeds I usually just squeeze and/or use my pinky finger. Thanks for sharing- what works for you is likely to work for someone else who just didn't think of it.

kath

[camochef]

Originally Posted by kath

Sucking seeds and gel out of all the locules in beefsteaks with a baster is exactly the type of time-consuming activity I'm seeking to eliminate by finding a nearly seed and gel-free option that does well for me. This year I grew a long pointy paste that I can halve lengthwise and then with a quick swipe of the finger get rid of any seeds and/or gel that might be there- and often there is none! Next year I'd like to grow other like varieties and compare them for taste, productivity, disease-resistance, etc.

Love the idea of the powders but have been afraid to commit to a grinder. Is there one that you would recommend?

Thanks,

kath

Kath,
Originally I used an old Braun coffee grinder but when it finally died I went to kitchen Collection and bought a Hamilton Beach coffee grinder for around ten dollars.
Later on I picked up another brand at Ollie's for less than seven dollars...just to have for a spare. Both work very well and I think just about any coffee bean grinder would work well, so I go with cheap ones.
Both my Mortar and Pestles were much more costly!
Enjoy!
Camo

PS: No need to make things more difficult than they need be.

[kath]

Originally Posted by camochef

Kath,
Originally I used an old Braun coffee grinder but when it finally died I went to kitchen Collection and bought a Hamilton Beach coffee grinder for around ten dollars.
Later on I picked up another brand at Ollie's for less than seven dollars...just to have for a spare. Both work very well and I think just about any coffee bean grinder would work well, so I go with cheap ones.
Both my Mortar and Pestles were much more costly!
Enjoy!
Camo

PS: No need to make things more difficult than they need be.

Camo, I'm so happy to hear that you had great luck with inexpensive models. I tend to get caught up in reading Amazon reviews that wind up making everything sound like worthless junk so I wind up doing without. I don't have a mortar and pestle either.

Thanks again,
Kath

PS: That's the truth!

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by kath

We have one, Camo, but it's a matter of not wanting to do long cooking when making sauce, paste, thick salsa, bbq sauce, etc. I'm trying to get away from the messy and time-consuming efforts required to separate clear liquid from tomato pulp. Also I've found that solid, meaty tomatoes that are quick to deseed are the best for dehydrating because they still have some substance afterwards.

kath

Have you tried Striped Roman? It has the typical BER issues but its a great producer of fairly large, dry fruit. It's also strikingly beautiful.

[kath]

Originally Posted by Tracydr

Have you tried Striped Roman? It has the typical BER issues but its a great producer of fairly large, dry fruit. It's also strikingly beautiful.

No, I haven't- I appreciate the suggestion, Tracy, but I'm trying to avoid BER and it looks smaller than what I'm hoping for anyway. The looks aren't important because the skin won't show once it's cooked.

kath