Wanting Tomatoes in Winter
The tomato display at our local Extra is blinding. Then again, it is always blinding, all year ’round. Ah, globalization, the glories of greenhouse cultivation, and the resourcefulness of our northwestern neighbors, the Nederlanders. Factoid: some 1,178 hectares of greenhouses shaked ‘n baked some 525,000 tons of tomatoes in Holland in 1999 (per the Embassy). I’m sure that number’s way higher today. And, almost a quarter of that ruddy, bouncing bounty comes to Germany.
But, and but. I shouldn’t want tomatoes in winter. And I shouldn’t encourage the clever greenhoused northerners to find even more ingenious ways to solve hunger and stuff and in the meantime, grow a delicious tomato in December.
Delicious? Hardly. These things are ping-pong balls with a randy blush. But that’s news to no one.
While I’m trying not to make a habit of it (in the interest of local fooding and all; choosing tomatoes grown in Deutschen vitro rather than further afield, when possible), I’m buying tomatoes and drying them. Not completely beef-jerky dry — just enough (say, 50%) to concentrate whatever sugar the thin Northern sun was able to coax to the surface, while still staying a bit juicy.
Oven to 100C. Smaller tomatoes work best; cut them in half, and place cut-side up on parchment or foil on a tray. No need to salt or oil. Let ‘em slow cook for at least 3 hours, or more. Use immediately in pasta or sandwiches or keep in the ‘fridge until you do. Your ideas and recipes always appreciated below…
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December 9th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
One of the very first things that happened after I moved to Berlin was I had a visit from a couple of Dutch friends. He was a farmer by trade — or had been before he became a musician — and after welcoming me to Europe, the first thing he said was “never buy any vegetable grown in Holland at any time of year.” I gotta admit, the Belgians do this, too. But the guy had a point.
You can also halve those ghastly cherry tomatoes and roast them with capers, sliced garlic, and salt after tossing them in olive oil. Then you add pignolis (also toasted on the top of the stove), more oil, some chopped parsley, and parmesan and toss with pasta.
Hey, anything for vitamin C in winter…