Period Receipts: Some Ways of Preserving and Preparing Tomatoes, Part Two

Again, these recipes are from Mrs. Haskell's The Housekeeper's Encyclopedia of Useful Information for the Housekeeper in All Branches of Cooking and Domestic Economy. Print date is 1861. I told you before, I adore this book and its treasure trove of information.

(Just as a general commentary, even in a huge tome of cookery as this, there are comparatively few recipes for tomatoes. There is information regarding the raising of them in gardens, but few ways of processing them. )

Tomatoes, to Pickle Green - Select small green tomatoes, put them in very strong brine with a little alum, nine days; green as gherkins, and put them in ten per cent vinegar. (Keep in mind, all vinegar sold in the US today is 5% strength, so experiment a little with this recipe if you plan on using it.)

Ripe Tomatoes - Select small tomatoes when turning red but not soft. Put them immediately in bottles, and pour over them ten per cent vinegar; add sugar and spices, if desired. (See comment above.)

Tomatoes and Onions - Slice tomatoes and onions, allow four times as many tomatoes as onions; drain well, and cover with strong spiced vinegar poured on boiling hot. If the tomatoes and onions destroy the life of the vinegar (neutralizes it), drain the pickles thoroughly, and add fresh cold vinegar to cover them.


Excerpted from Dr. Chase's Recipes, or, Information for Everybody. Tenth Edition. Ann Arbor, MI: Chase, 1864.

6. To ripen late tomatoes, pull the plants having green tomatoes on them, before the commencement of frosts, and hang them in a well ventilated cellar. The fruit will continue to ripen until early winter, especially if the cellar is cool and damp.


5. TOMATOES.--For tomatoes, scald and peel them as for other cooking; then scald, or rather boil for about 15 minutes only, and can as above.

Or what I think best, is to use a little salt, and put them into half-gallon jugs; for we want them in too great quantities to stop on a few glass jars, such as we use for other fruits; as for tin cans, I never use them; if you do use tin cans for tomatoes it will not do to use salt with them, as it has a tendency to cause rust.

6. CEMENT FOR CANNING FRUITS.--Rosin 1 lb.; lard, tallow, and bees-wax, of each 1 oz.
Melt and stir together; and have it hot, ready to dip into, when canning. (This is your cork sealant if you choose to go this route)

PRESERVES--TOMATO PRESERVES.--As some persons will have preserves, I give them the plan of making the most healthy of any in use: Take ripe, scalded and peeled tomatoes 13 lbs.; nice, scalding hot molasses 1 gal.; pour the molasses upon them and let stand 12 hours; then boil until they are properly cooked; now skim out the tomatoes, but continue boiling the syrup until quite thick; then pour again upon the tomatoes and put away as other preserves. A table-spoon of ginger tied up in a bit of cloth and boiled in them, gives a nice flavor; or the extracts can be used; or lemon peel, as preferred--if sugar is used, pound for pound is the amount.

But I prefer to put them, or any other fruit, into jugs, cans, or bottles, which retains the natural flavor and does not injure the stomach, which all preserves do, to a greater or less extent. Yet I give you another, because it does so nicely in place of citron, in cakes.