Jardín del Gotch

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

This morning's haul, photo-bombed by an Amish Paste and a few Guido Heirlooms:

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The Gotch

[AKgardener]

@Cornelius_Gotchberg this time around I would say we had a late start this season as far as weather goes it just took off in July everything stayed stunted up to that point I only have 6 Tomatoes called patio they are now ripening. Again all my other big plants literally just took off and my nights are getting cold again and lots of rain . I’m pulling everything when the rain stops

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

@AKgardener "I’m pulling everything when the rain stops"

At least yer getting rain, we haven't gotten a drop this month, and are in the grips of Extreme Drought!

The Gotch

[AKgardener]

@Cornelius_Gotchberg That is no good.. I would like to know how everyone gets big onions haha I swear its just not my year.. but dont frent I have all my indoor stuff started,, haha, cucumbers,a potato, peppers,beets,pearl onions,carrots,peas,geenbeans,, and micro greens..and dont forget my 12 stick tomatoes.. haha

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

Wedding Day gift to my new BIL; a superficially flawless, if unconventionally shaped, Guido Heirloom:

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The Gotch

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

August Bounty for my 93 year old Aunt, who regularly avers she "LUVs Tomatoes." Clockwise from upper left: Big Zac, KY Beefsteak, Radiator Charlie Mortgage Lifter, Lemon Boy, Brandywine Red, Boxcar Willie, & Black Krim. Middle: Ribbed-left Zapotec Oaxacan, right-Mushroom Basket.

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The Gotch

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

HERE Be Giants!
Clockwise from top left: two Pink Gift, two Guido, one Zapotec Oaxacan, two Pink Magic, Penn "Coach" Tennis Ball, two Radiator Charlie Mortgage Lifters, two Ananas Noire holding down the middle, the bigger one to be...um...involved in today's Monday Morning BLT Brunch!

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The lovely and long suffering Mrs. Gotch's favorite Tomato (her least favorite? Store bought!) sliced and ready for duty.

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She sheepishly asked if she could have all the rest for lunch; like The Gotch would say no...?

The Gotch

[Amateurinawe]

RETURN TO SENDER

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Seriously though, it was a nice surprise this morning...normally only get bills and flyers for tradespeople through the letterbox these days....

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

@Amateurinawe; I gravitate between how quaintly beautiful the images in those old seed catalogs were drawn, and how magnificently detailed the close-up product shots from current Totally Tomatoes, Tomato Growers Supply, et al, are...

The Gotch

[Danny]

Is the Pen's Tennis Ball a GWR variety? Juicy?

LOL.

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

A NEW RECORD Sweet Success Cuke-20"/50.8 cms!

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~25 lbs/11.3 kgs of all manner of Sauce/Paste Tomatoes headed up north where Iron County Saucier Extraordinaire (the lovely and long suffering Mrs. Gotch) will transform them into her signature concoction...while her husband tends his...um...Beer Removal Service...

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The Gotch

[MissS]

Please do not make the beautiful and charming Mrs. Gotch suffer any longer. She can freeze the tomatoes whole and then when she defrosts them the skins will slide right off. It is far more comfortable to cook them down during the winter than doing it now. If she doesn't want to freeze the whole tomatoes, then putting them in the blender for a bit and grinding them up works really well too. Just pour them into a ziplock and freeze for winter use. The bags of tomatoes can also be used for cold compresses for your aches and pains.

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

Please do not make the beautiful and charming Mrs. Gotch suffer any longer.

It's a labor of love...anywho...it appears I low-balled the ~25 lbs/11.3 kgs figures...it very well may be nearly twice that.

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Keeping them in the vehicle trunk to prevent rodent predation.

The Gotch

[karstopography]

Having not processed tomatoes in such quantities like that at any one sitting or time, what is the procedure?

Are they blanched all at once, then peeled? Then is everything simmered until the sauce thickens? Are herbs added? What about citric acid, does that get into the mix if water bathed canned? Salt, I would guess is added. Will the sauce ultimately be frozen or canned? Does the sauce get then, prior to packaging, get made into pasta sauce and then a separate portion into pizza sauce? Start to finish, how much time is involved?

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

@karstopography; The Gotch's participation is solely procurement-n-acquisition.

Processing is the sole realm of La Jefa, but I'll audit her efforts and report back.

The Gotch

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

@karstopography, the lovely and long suffering Mrs. Gotch has two (2) methods, this is the one she used yesterday with ~3/5 of the stash.

Cut 'em-n-gut 'em (there remained ~ 1.5 gallons/5.7 liters of Tomotoe Residue) boil 'em down (skins on) with beau coup minced garlic, and then attack with the immersion blender; the result is a breathtakingly silky smooth concoction she'll further refine with Tomato Paste and herbs galore.

Into the mix went Italian Gold, Uncle Steve's Italian, Santa Maria, Cornue de Andes, Opalka, Amish Paste, Yaqui Hybrid, and two (2) varieties that WEREN'T the Inzhir Rozovyi and Hawiian Pineapple I was led to believe they were.

The Gotch

[rxkeith]

does the beautiful, and long suffering mrs gotch keep the seeds in or strain them out. i have seen both ways.
some claim the seeds left in have a bitter taste??

good to see you got some uncle steve in the mix. you should have some good production from the plants in a good spot.
by all means try them freshly sliced too if you haven't, small amount of salt and enjoy.

if you ever manage to free up some space for beans, i can send you some of my uncle steve pole beans for another garden
taste treat. just need some space on the edge of a bed. some strong supports, with some netting, rope or field fencing attached
with some zip ties. sound like a plan????



keith

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

@rxkeith "does the beautiful, and long suffering mrs gotch keep the seeds in or strain them out. i have seen both ways.
some claim the seeds left in have a bitter taste??"

We've done it both ways, and after noticing no discernable difference in the final product, leave most of the seeds in to streamline the labor.

Sauce/Pastes are far easier to de-seed than the Beefsteak/Slicers.

The Gotch

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

2nd installment of the Jardín del Gotch Tomato Rendering Extravaganza, harvested-n-processed-n-in-the-freezer yesterday:

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Left: A smattering of Cornue de Andes, Uncle Steve's Italian (H/T @rxkeith), and Santa Maria. On right: Overperforming Opalka, and a smallish, round determinate that was supposed to be Hawaiian Pineapple.

The Gotch

[PlainJane]

What a nice haul!