Tomatoes

Right, going to try this thing again. I last posted (on the wordpress version of this blog) in April 2011 and I think the last time anyone read anything was a few months before that. Obviously trying to keep a private blog that made ye log in was too much to handle so I'll make things easy and keep this one a bit more general so that I don't feel the need to keep it private. At least then I can just direct ye all here when you start moaning about me not having a facebook page. :)

After waiting in for a DHL delivery this morning (delivery time from 8:00 to 12:00, of course he doesn't turn up until after 11) I didn't have much time to get to the market. So I decided to take advantage of Starfrucht's special offer on tomatoes and buy the bulk of them there. They do this special offer about once a year and a couple of years ago I bought loads there and bottled them. They weren't terribly nice and I said I wouldn't bother again but actually, the jars turned out quite well and were lovely to cook with the following winter. And at 99c/kilo (as opposed to the 5.00/kilo for the local, organic tomatoes at the market this year), I have to be practical. Until I have my own garden and can just grow enough tomatoes, at least, I'm going to have to sometimes let go of the local, organic thing and just settle for non-organic, no-idea-what-type-they-are, grown somewhere in Germany.

So first thing in the morning, I'll set to with my hot water and ice water for blanching, jars and lemon juice and giant pot of boiling water. I got just over eight kilos so that might even be enough for two lots. I think I'll do one lot of 1 litre jars and then roast what's left and do smaller jars of passata. Basil plant is looking healthy and I have some onions to use up, too so I might even make it a mix. For now though, I really need to get down to a couple of hours to studying.