Unexpected Harvest

On Sunday morning, CG informed us that she had ice on her trees, from where she had her sprinkler running all night long, and that her weather station said it had gotten down to 30 degrees during the night. She asked about our tomatoes. Our weather station, 1/10th mile away, said 36 degrees. And our tomatoes were fine. Peppers too. So honestly I didn't think much about it, and since Sunday was already scheduled as Salsa Day, I spent the morning making eight batches of salsa with all of our ripe tomatoes. I left the green tomatoes on the vines.

Sunday night, however, it FROZE for real. I awoke to our weather station registering a low of 26 degrees. Wilted tomato plants and pepper plants. I knew, after we got home from school today, we'd have to harvest every single vegetable in the garden.

We have yet to turn on the heaters in our house. We're just not ready for this kind of weather. I think I'm in denial.

Today, when we got home to school, I got to work. Wifey said all of her tomatoes, every last one, froze. She tried to bring some in the house, and they were just mush. She pulled up all her tomato plants and fed them, tomatoes and all, to the goats.

I harvested all the tomatoes that weren't mushy, and some that were. I am going to experiment with roasting them tonight into a batch or two of salsa. Roasting and salsifying tomatoes makes them mushy anyway, so I'm hopeful. We'll see. And I'll let you know.

I harvested all the peppers, even the teeny tiny ones that just didn't have enough of a chance to grow, and all the tomatillos. It seems like this is a very early freeze--it seems like I usually don't have to harvest EVERYTHING until at least the end of October, sometimes later.

We lost about half of our beautiful basil. I fed the blackened, wilted, frozen basil, stalks and all, to the goats. Another experiment: I moved the EarthBox of herbs (basil, Italian parsley, sage) in front of the windows in the addition. We'll see if they will last just a bit longer until I can at least make some pesto or dry some of the parsley. I don't see why they wouldn't last, as long as I write a note to myself about keeping the box watered.

Now I will need to monitor my bowls of tomatoes, gathering the ripest ones for salsa every couple of days. Did you know you can pick green tomatoes and they will ripen on the counter or in a bowl? I was happy to learn that several years ago--it really works!

So anyway. The salsa will continue until we are out of tomatoes...

The Final Batches...

The last of the tomatoes have ripened. My kitchen counter is clearing off! Today I made the final three batches of salsa. It is extra spicy because I used extra jalapenos, and they were bright red. #1 is going to be excited. (and I realize many of you have seen this all before, but think of it like this: this is the last salsa of the season. No more salsa blogs until next year!!)

I roasted the garlic and jalapenos:

I roasted the tomatoes:

Chopped the onion:

Squeezed in the secret ingredient: (oops, I wasn't supposed to tell you that part)

And processed lightly.

Voila! I am finished with salsa for the season. Now let's just hope we don't run out!

The Day of The ~SALSA~

I've decided.

For this year, today,

27 October 2007

is

The Day of The Salsa.

By that, I mean that I realized I needed to get my crap together TODAY and make salsa before any more tomatoes rot. As you may know, I rescued all the green tomatoes and all the peppers from the cold weather a couple weeks ago, and they have been ripening (and taking up precious space) on my counter ever since then.

Today, I looked at the tomatoes, and a few of them were beginning to rot. I decided I better get on it. I have been putting this job off for days. I can put it off no longer...not to mention that some of you know I have a teeny tiny kitchen with limited counter space, so I really would like to reclaim it from the tomatoes.

Right now, I am on my 8th batch of salsa. I make them in doubles, so I've put together four double batches. That equals eight. I'm taking credit where credit is due.

The house smells of roasting...tomatoes, serranos, jalapeños, garlic...it is wonderful. I've had a few chips and various kinds of freshly-made salsa for breakfast along with my coffee this morning. (it is imperative that each batch be tasted for quality assurance)

I've told you about salsa making before, in other places if not here. So I won't go too much into it. Let's just say I have made so much salsa, I could probably make it in my sleep. Dare I say, I make

The Best Salsa Ever.

And, as soon as this, the fourth double batch is completed, I will be finished for today. I can't say this is any kind of record for me, because this happens every year. I don't remember if I've ever made eight batches in a day, but if not I've come damn close. B.K. (Before Kids) I used to can this salsa. I have not done that since H-Bomb and then Sawed-Off arrived. Now, it is much easier to freeze the salsa, and it turns out great.

But, I will not be finished until the last tomato ripens and gets salsified. I still have a pile of them, in varying stages of ripeness, as you can see...

And plenty of peppers as well. I think our salsa supply will definitely last through next spring by the time I am through! YeeHaw!


I have been at this all morning. It is now noon, and I am finished but for letting the flavors come together at room temperature and then finding room in the freezer.

Somehow I have managed to do this in between feeding the boys and dealing with whining and disagreements and who-knows-how-many time outs for H-Bomb (he's having a hard time today). But now, I look behind me to the kitchen table. I think the boys have basically been eating since they woke up. Oatmeal? Of course. Granola with milk? Sure. Milk with 'Tine? If you stop whining. More granola? I guess. Ice cream cup? Whatever.

So the table and the floor and the chairs and any and all the surfaces in the dining room? Simply COVERED. With, yes, oatmeal-granola-milk-milk with 'tine-granola-ice cream. I have wiped down both boys. I think you can guess what my next project is for today. Thank goodness I finally covered the dining room chairs in vinyl...

It's ~SALSA~ Time!

~Roasted Tomato-Jalapeno Salsa~
~Roasted Tomato-Serrano Salsa~

I forgot to take pictures of the process, maybe next time. But we've been harvesting tons of tomatoes and jalapenos and serranos from our garden, so today was the day to make salsa...

I ended up having enough tomatoes to make four batches. It doesn't look like very much, but it is about 8 cups. I won't post the recipe, but I will tell you what is included:

Tomatoes
Jalapeno or Serrano peppers (I made 2 batches of each)
Garlic
Coarse salt
White onion
Cider Vinegar
Juice of Limes

The peppers are spicy again this year, so the salsa is fantastic. Most of the ingredients are roasted, giving it a fresh, complex flavor...I love it. I'm gonna go eat some more. (you know it's good when your nose starts running)

The tomatoes just keep coming, and we have hundreds of peppers, so this won't be the last time by any means.
~YUM~