Nature's Fast Food
Enjoyed In Summer
"" * By BARBARA A. MINTER
What to one of nature's own fast foods, enjoyed
year around, the world over, and is roost abundant
this time of year? That's right, it's North Carolina
tomatoes plump, red, flavorful, and vine-ripe!
As a vitamin C rich food, tomatoes are great. One
good size vine-ripened tomato will give you about
half of your daily quota of vitamin C, as well as a
generous proportion of vitamin A. To get the most
nutrition from tomatoes, it is best to eat them fresh
and raw in salads, sandwiches, stuffed or
marinated. Its nice to know though, tomatoes do
hold a large share of their vitamins even when
cooked or canned.
When shopping for tomatoes, select those which
are formed well, ripened, free from blemishes,and
have a smooth surface. For tomatoes you plan to
eat right away, look for an overall red color and a
slight softness. For tomatoes you plan to use in
several days, look for firm texture and color
ranging from pink to light red.
To continue ripening your tomatoes once you are
home, set them in a warm place away from direct
sunlight. It is best not to store your tomatoes in the
refrigerator until fully ripe. Refrigeration will
prevent the fruit from ripening. Once the tomatoes
are ripe, they will keep in the refrigerator for
several days.
If you are planning to can some of this popular
fruit, then you know that it is one of the easiest foods
to can. The average bushel of tomatoes will weigh
about 53 pounds and yield from 15 to 20 quarts of cut
up tomatoes. This amount will vary depending on
whether you add boiling water to your tomato mix
ture.
The North Carolina Department of Agriculture
along with myself invites you to enjoy North
Carolina's fresh tomatoes while they are peaked
with flavor. Why not try one of these tempting
recipes.
Marinated Sliced Tomatoes
3 large tomatoes
y«C. salad oil
IT. lemon juice
y< tsp. pepper
V* tsp. salt
V« tsp. oregano leaves
Vi tsp. minced garlic
Peel and slice tomatoes. Arrange in shallow dish.
Combine oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, black pepper
and oregano; mix well. Pour over tomatoes. Cover
and refrigerate several hours, until well chilled.
Makes 4 servings.
Grilled Tomatoes
6 firm ripe tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Ground oregano
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Butter or margarine
Cut each tomato in half crosswise; sprinkle cut
surfaces with salt, pepper, and oregano. Place each
tomato half on a square of heavy-duty aluminum
foil. Sprinkle with cheese, and dot with butter. Fold
foil securely around tomato halves. Cook on grill
over moderate heat 10 to 15 minutes or until
tomatoes are tender and cheese is melted. Yield: 6
servings.
Tomato And Squash Au Gratia
2 lbs. yellow summer squash
V4 cup flour
Vt cup fat
Vi cup grated sharp cheese
6 sliced fresh North Carolina tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
Vt teaspoon pepper
Wash 9quash, do not peel, cut in 1" slices. Dip in
flour and saute in fat until slightly browned. Place
in a greased seven inch casserole in layers with
tomatoes. Sprinkle each layer with cheese, salt and
pepper. Bake at 350 degrees F. about 30 minutes.
Yields 6 servings.
Mother's Favorite Tomato Preserves
5 lbs. firm, ripe, small tomatoes
8 cups sugar
3 lemons, sliced thinly and cut into half
V« tsp. salt
1 stick cinnamon
Few pes. ginger root
Scald tomatoes and slip off the skins. Leave
enough ewe to hold tomato together without loosing
inside pulp. Put tomatoes in large crockery mixing
bowl; cover with sugar and let stand overnight to
firm tomatoes. In the morning, drain off all juice in
heavy cookery; bring to a boil and boQ rapidly until
juice will spin a thread. Add spice, lemons, salt and
tomatoes. Cook until fruit is clear and syrup is
thick. Remove cinnamon and ginger. Fill hot sterile
jars; seal; process in boiling water 10 minutes.