Gleanings from a Northwest garden in November
Last time I had tomato plants, when it got too cold, I tried to ripen the still-green fruits by wrapping them in newspaper and hiding them in a cool cupboard. I must have done something wrong because instead of ripening, they rotted.
This year I was about to throw out all the green tomatoes, when I took my plants down, but instead a neighbor encouraged me to leave them on my countertop. So I did. It’s been great to watch the tomatoes ripen, adding red, gold and green colors to my white windowsill. I love the vibrant hues, the colors of stoplights!
Tonight for dinner we ate raspberries, a baker’s dozen or so that I picked off of the still-producing vines in the garden. Some plants I pruned, but some still have berries that are turning red. I ate one tonight that didn’t taste too great, but the rest of the family didn’t seem to notice much. I wonder what will happen to the berries still growing on the branches, whether they will continue to ripen in the cold.
It is fun to be enjoying fruit, to be tasting the harvest from the garden so late in the season – a reason for thanksgiving!
2 responses so far ↓
1 Katherine // Nov 24, 2003 at 8:33 pm
My mom always made jars and jars of “Green Tomato Chutney” – to add to all kinds of dishes later in the year. Maybe I’ll ask her to send you the recipe.
2 Patricia A. Taylor // Nov 26, 2003 at 7:52 am
Oh, yes, there are tomatoes, red and yellow, ripening on my kitchen island and I am delighting in using them as they ripen before my eyes! As for the Green Tomato Chutney I have made over the years, I did not have a big enough crop of green ones to do that this year. I still have jars and jars from years past, though. The recipe I use comes from the Joy of Cooking. It always works and I make a wonderful dip of mayonnaise, green tomato chutney and thyme with curry to taste. Yummy! I am thankful for my life, for love and laughter, family and friends!