Comments on: Ripening green tomatoes, the 1940s way.

By: Festival of Frugality #199 – Damn, No Bonus Edition | Yes, I Am Cheap

Festival of Frugality #199 – Damn, No Bonus Edition | Yes, I Am Cheap — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 04:21:50 +0000

[...] Saving Money on Baby Food with DIY Fresh Fruit posted at My Dad Blog. Miss Thrifty presents Ripening green tomatoes, the 1940s way. posted at Miss Thrifty. Mrs. Accountability presents Make Your Own Vanilla «Out of Debt Again [...]

By: Lottie

Lottie — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 07:39:07 +0000

A banana works well – but the best way I have found is to wrap them up in newspaper and put them in a dark drawer or cardboard box

By: threadbndr

threadbndr — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:27:05 +0000

Re ripening green tomatos – you’ll have the best luck with the ones that are even just every so slightly pink (or yellow as the case may be). The really hard green ones may do better going into salsa or chutney.

We always put a flat or two in the basement ‘root cellar’ area – Clare’s right – apples offgas a chemical naturally that encourages other fruits to ripen (and tomatos really are a fruit after all). So if you want to hold the tomatos for long term storage, store away from apples. If we are lucky, we get ‘fresh’ tomatos at Christmas dinner.

Key thing is to not let them touch and to check and turn them often – you want to discard the ones that are going soft instead of ripe. Last summer at your place sounds like this year at ours. Here in the center of the US, there was an awful blight that hit almost all the gardens in my neighborhood, one after another.

By: Mrs. Accountability

Mrs. Accountability — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:14:17 +0000

The only way I’ve ever known to ripen green tomatoes is to pull up the entire plant and hang it upside down in the basement. Only, I’ve never had a basement, and don’t have room anywhere to hang up tomato plants. So this is great information – takes up a lot less space! Found you through the Festival of Frugality. My post on Make Your Own Vanilla was also included. Nice to meet you, Miss Thrifty! Claire’s Green Tomato Chutney sounds delicious!

By: Clare Flynn

Clare Flynn — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:00:16 +0000

Hey Miss T – maybe we should do a post swap some time? – we love your thrifty tips at Make it and Mend it
Clare

By: admin

admin — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:36:57 +0000

Claire, I *love* you – thank you so much!

I also love that (bar the raisins) I have all of the ingredients. I’m going to get cracking on this one…

Other Clare, I think I love you too! Some great recipe ideas there.

- Miss T.

By: Claire

Claire — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:05:26 +0000

Hi Miss Thrifty, here is the recipe for green tomato chutney. It’s an old one, hence the imperial measurements!!

2lb green tomatoes chopped
8oz onions finely chopped
8oz cooking apples peeled and chopped
2 small fresh red chillies
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 cup chopped raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups malt vinegar

- put tomatoes, onions and apples in saucepan
- crush chilli and tie in muslin bag* with ginger and put in pan with everything else
- bring to boil
- simmer for 2 hours stirring every now and then
- remove muslin bag
- put in steralised jars

I hope you enjoy it.

* I always tie things up in old baby muslims which seems to work well.

By: admin

admin — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:47:02 +0000

@Claire

Recipe? Yes please!

@Clare

Great pointers – thanks very much.

- Miss T

By: Clare Flynn

Clare Flynn — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:47:27 +0000

What a great book – these old ones always give such simple and straightforward advice – like Frugal Grandma!
You might also just try putting your green tomatoes in a fruit bowl with some apples – that usually does the trick for me.and that way there’s no chance you’ll forget them.
On the other hand if you want some things to do with them when they are green – we have quite a few ideas on our website – http://www.makeitandmendit.com/2009/09/09/italian-recipes-for-green-tomatoes-under-oil-or-under-vinegar/
I also noticed Nigel Slater last night did a dish with tomatoes fried with some bits of lavender topped off with goats cheese – ane several of the toms he was frying were green ones.

By: Claire

Claire — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:21:06 +0000

the best thing to do with Green Tomatoes is to make green tomato chutney. It’s sensational.

Mine all ripened this year which means no chutney, which is weirdly disappointing.

Do let me know if you would like the recipe.