Summer Vegetables in the Winter

[daves_32]

I had a tomato on a sandwich for lunch today and was reminded those are definitely not in season. Does anyone have any suggestions for local tomatoes or summer vegetables that are jarred or otherwise preserved so I can eat them during the winter? Is it possible for these to still be healthy or is there a lot of salt added? I am new to this idea so any advice would be appreciated.

[katecm]

I like having tomato jam on a sandwich in the winter. You get the sweetness and acidity of the tomato, but without the hard, bland winter version of the vegetable. At the most simple, just get a jar of good quality whole tomatoes, drain, throw on a cookie sheet with a good amount of olive oil, and roast slowly.

[tcamp]

Yeah, I think you are pretty much SOL when it comes to summer veggies of high quality in this area. I had some really good late summer produce in South Carolina last week and brought back a few tomatoes. You may want to focus on winter squash, apples, sweet potatoes, and other stuff that is still available locally.

[alkapal]

summer veggies are just that -- even preserved tomatoes will not give you what you seek. try buying the campari tomatoes -- the cherry tomatoes have a good tomato flavor year-round. they are sweeter than the typical grape tomatoes.

fwiw, it is tomato season in florida. i wonder if these shippers pick them slightly underripe to ship? http://www.agbase.com/market/variety?...
if you know someone in florida, then you can ask them to ship you some from the farmer's market. but fedex 'maters are going to cost a heckuva lot!

[hill food]

commercial tomatoes are generally picked green and crate 'matured' under a cloud of carbon monoxide (or maybe dioxide - I forget) for shipping and timing. it's the only thing that provides that comforting lack of flavor or texture.

[alkapal]

""Vintage Ripe
If you haven’t tasted our Vintage Ripes … you haven’t tasted an authentic tomato! A proven customer favorite, this variety is field-grown and vine-ripened for the one-of-a-kind flavor available only from Lipman. Whether they’re stuffed, sliced or standalone as the star of a meal, you’ll notice the vibrant red color … but you’ll never forget the juicy taste.
Grown fresh year-round
Each tomato is hand-wrapped in its own foam stocking to ensure quality
Packed in attractive, stackable, 15-pound display boxes"""
http://www.lipmanproduce.com/products...
~~~~~~~
i just don't know how many 15-pound display boxes you'll have to buy! ;-).