Dirt Lover, Lori, asked if I used a Victorio strainer to process my tomatoes. No, I don't have one, although I wish I did! Trying to describe what I used, I Googled it and found I'm using a "vintage" colander! Fitting for a "vintage" Granny, I'd say.
My vintage strainer.
Nine and a half quarts of tomato juice were canned today.
But I still have this to look forward to tomorrow.
Oooh, I like the vintage strainer! What ever works is what I say!
ReplyDeleteAlright. I think it's time to admit you have a problem. Next year...back away from the tomatoes. Don't go cold turkey, just don't plant 50,000 plants anymore.
ReplyDeleteI see you are resorting to quarts. I've always stayed away from quart jars as 1) I don't use that much at a time usually and 2) I rarely have enough to fill many jars, and 3) my pantry area (stairs to the basement) is getting finished today I hope and I made most of the shelves the perfect size for pints. I can't wait until the pantry area is done since right now my jars, filled and not, are on the dinning room floor.
ReplyDeleteGranny, I have the same "vintage colander". I think that I paid $1 for it at a flea market.
ReplyDeleteI guess that you found some more canning jars. I hope that you didn't have to pay those high prices that they sell for in the stores now.
It looks like you are going to be a busy bee again today!
Gran, I'm with you, I use a chinois set too! I purchased one this spring because my mother wouldn't give my my grandmother's LOL, but now it's mine! It's VERY OLD, my great-grandmother's I think. I have to go home to MN to get it, it's never seen anything other than MN tomatoes so I'm not sure I will actually use it, LOL, I'll keep using the new one I got. The newer ones are pretty flimsy, but I still like it since it reminds me of the old one! The old one has a star pattern on the colander.
ReplyDeleteDirt Lover, look up "chinois set"!
ReplyDeleteI won't argue the "vintage colander" bit, it cetainly is but I think the proper name is a "chinois", sometimes called a China hat, and is (was) used in many professional kitchens to do a more refined puree than one could get from a food mill.
ReplyDeleteHaving used one, I must say, Annie, you do work hard.
Wow you have been busy in the kitchen! I have been blogger MIA and may be for a while more, but needed to pop by and see what you were up to. :)
ReplyDeleteMeemsnyc, it works very well! Well, maybe I should say I work very well when I'm using it ;-) It just sits there.
ReplyDelete********
Ribbit, I know, I know. If Erin and I could just get together, she with her hot peppers, me with my tomatoes, we could start a salsa business.
********
Daphne and Robin, I don't mind using quart jars for the juice, but no way could I use them for any other tomato recipe. I still have a few empty quart jars left, and I think I've rounded up enough pint jars for one more batch of salsa. I'm hoping my peppers are hot by now!
********
Erin & Patricia, I think I've had this one since the 70s, maybe longer. It's very light weight, I think aluminum, but it's strong. I do remember my Grandmother having a really heavy one. Really, after using the immersion blender to puree the tomatoes, they go through it so easily!
If I'd have known the proper name for it was "chinois", I probably could have found it easier, but searching for photos of "food strainers" I came up with two offers of "vintage colander" for sale. Patricia jogged my memory with "China hat".
********
Kelly, I'm patiently waiting for my Amish Paste tomatoes to ripen! I think the plant gets too much shade, but there is one tomato that is turning red now. I really want to make a batch of salsa from them.
Wow Granny! I take it you found more jars??? I have an old food mill that was given to me by a friend. It is more sturdy than the ones in the stores today also. They sure don't make things like they used to!
ReplyDeleteNice to find your blog. Your tomatoes juice looks great. I'm doing the same thing ... but I'll add fresh bay leaves.
ReplyDeleteApple Pie gal, I had quite a few quart jars, it's the pints and half-pints I'm out of. Pat gave me enough pints for one more batch of salsa, so that will be on the agenda. I'm waiting for my jalapeno peppers to get hot. I have some Hungarian Wax peppers, I might have to substitute.
ReplyDelete********
Welcome to my blog, Scented Leaf. If I had more pint jars, I'd probably make some seasoned tomato sauce. Maybe next year. Or maybe I'll give in and buy another dozen jars ;-)
Oh my Gran, I can't believe you're still getting tomatoes! Only one of mine has turned red yet. Next year I will need to plant more tomatoes that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteGranny, I have a "chinois" exactly like yours, and I used that for years before I got a hand-me-down Victorio from my Grandma. Didn't know what it was called, though. I use both, but for different things. Now my husband wants to get a Victorio attachment for the big meat grinder we have, to make my canning easier and quicker!! It's actually enjoyable cranking, and seeing the stuff slowly come out the strainer. It's not something I would get for myself, so I'm trying to let him down easy! I would hate to hurt his feelings.
ReplyDelete~~Lori
Granny, what do you do with tomato juice, besides just drink it? Do people just drink it "fresh"? I guess I'm only familiar with the V8 type of tomato juice, which I find just too salty for my taste. One of these days, I'm going to sit down with all your tomato processing recipes and try them out one by one. But I guess I have to first learn to grow enough tomatoes. :)
ReplyDeleteKimmi, I didn't think mine were ever going to get ripe, then the heat wave hit us and they all ripened at once!
ReplyDelete********
Lori, I lusted over a Victorio-type strainer at the store today, but just bought jar lids and left without it. Maybe next year. I was really eying the salsa attachment!
********
Thyme2, I drink it plain. I love a glass of cold tomato juice with a bowl of hot oatmeal for breakfast. Mr. Granny and our youngest daughter like it in beer. We don't have any Bloody Mary drinkers in the family, but it would be good for that. I use it for my turkey Kielbasa stew, meatball stew, and also in vegetable beef soup. Making your own juice allows you to use as much or as little salt (or no salt) as you want. I do like a little bit of salt in mine, Mr. G likes a lot in his. I should open a jar to taste before I make more!
I have the same strainer. Like a chinoise only coarser. And my "pestle" is long and triangular-shaped. Works great for plum jam, too.
ReplyDeleteI only wish I had your tomato problems! I froze a couple of bags today, but that was it.
Stefaneener, I procrastinated today, so I still have all those tomatoes staring at me from the counter. They're just redder and riper than they were last night.
ReplyDeleteWow! I love the look of that "vintage colander"! Would love to find one of those!!
ReplyDeleteI pretty much live on vegetables so this would get a lot of use at my house!!
Thanks for sharing.
Be back soon,
gabriele
Welcome to my blog, Gabriele!
ReplyDelete