Market Fresh Finds: Versatile vine fruit ripe for preservation

How many tomato products are in your pantry, refrigerator or freezer? Go ahead, count. I will still be here when you get back.

My guess is there are at least 7-10 different forms of tomatoes in an average kitchen. Tomatoes are some of the most versatile fruits because they actually cross over to vegetable uses. As a matter of fact, Encyclopedia Britannica argues it is a ‘culinary vegetable’ even though it is technically a berry fruit.

Tomatoes also sit right on the line of a high-acid food and a low-acid food with acid levels between 4.0 and 4.7 pH. That means you can preserve tomatoes using either a hot-water-bath canner or a pressure canner, depending on your tomato recipe and the tomato product you are preserving. Always be sure to follow the recipe’s recommended processing methods for each individual recipe. According to the USDA, both preservation methods require that you add a small amount of commercially produced lemon juice (not fresh juice) or 5 percent vinegar to make them safe from unwanted bacteria. If you want, you can add a little sugar to offset the acid flavor.

Now let’s get back to the types of tomatoes you found in your home. In my house, I have frozen spaghetti sauce since I always cook enough for the big family I was raised in, but you can also find ketchup, tomato sauce, tomato paste, taco seasoning, lasagna sauce, enchilada sauce, stewed tomatoes, salsa, tomato soup and fresh tomatoes… I’d guess you can probably find fresh tomatoes in your vegetable bowl on the counter where they can safely hang out for about a week once they are ripe. It is not recommended to initially place them in the refrigerator since they taste best when kept at room temperature. Of course, you can refrigerate them if you won’t use them before they spoil. Fresh tomatoes are an awesome source of vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium, and traditionally adorn a basic dinner salad here in the U.S. Many pasta dishes today include fresh chopped Roma, cherry or grape tomatoes, or even the newer, colorful heirloom tomatoes available today.

The other remarkable thing about tomatoes is that they are versatile across ethnic groups. Not only do tomatoes come in a wide variety of products, they’re also common to dishes of many different cultures, such as Spanish, Italian, American, Mexican, British and African. The tomato can be traced back to Aztec and Mexican roots, where it was known as the ‘swelling fruit’ or ‘fat water,’ and who doesn’t crave a ‘fat,’ juicy vine-fresh tomato? They are so flavorful from local growers where you can get them from the vine to your table on the same day. Hit up a local farmers market to complement your meals with fresh tomatoes today.

Cooked tomatoes come in sauces that are canned whole or cut up, ketchup, juice, soups, sun-dried and even in jam. Yes, I did say jam! It never occurred to me, even knowing tomatoes were a fruit, that you could have jam made from tomatoes until I discovered some fabulous tomato jam on a cheese board the husband and I ordered at a local winery. It was an amazing addition to an artisan bread to complement the fruits, nuts, crackers and a variety of cheeses on the cheese board! “So Easy To Preserve” by the Cooperative Extension at The University of Georgia has a recipe for spiced tomato jam with P]powdered pectin for you to enjoy if you are a little adventurous. You can purchase your copy through the WSU-Vancouver Extension Office for $30.

Tomatoes are a versatile fruit (or vegetable) that preserves well so that you can have that fresh taste when preserved for later.

For additional tomato recipes and serving suggestions, check out Chef Scotty’s Market Fresh Recipes at ext100.wsu.edu/clark/?p=8163. The FINI Fresh Match program provides help to SNAP consumers to purchase more fruits and vegetables at farmers markets. Find out more at: clark.wa.gov/public-health/snap-farmers-markets.

Carolyn Heniges is a Clark County WSU Extension Master Food Preserver. For additional recipes, food preservation and food safety information visit http://ext100.wsu.edu/clark/?p=1134. Have questions? Call MFP Helpline: 360-397-6060 ext. 5366, or join Facebook discussion group “WSU Home Food Preservers – Clark County.”