I’m just about finished with the tomatoes in the gardens at Chiot’s Run, the ones that remain are a mere shadow of their sun-ripened summer selves. They’re not as flavorful and just don’t satisfy the way a tomato warm from the sun does. So I’m saying “Goodbye” to the fresj tomato until next summer, most likely until late July of 2010. I do have a bunch of roasted tomatoes in the freezer, canned crushed tomatoes in the pantry and dried tomatoes in the cupboard though, so I’ll still be able to enjoy a few tomato dishes this winter.
It’s time to start moving on in the kitchen to vegetables that are in season now like greens, leeks, sweet potatoes, winter squash, carrots, peas and potatoes. I love using this change in the season to make a few changes to our diets. I find that when the days start getting shorter and darker I crave: simmering soups with crusty bread and a salad, a venison roast with mushrooms, potatoes and carrots, or a roasted chicken with squash and sage. I think our bodies are happier and healthier when we eat in harmony with the weather outside and the seasons we experience.
I’m sure around the country and the world different people are transitioning to different “winter” foods. I always love hearing about what’s in season in your neck of the woods.
So, what are you transitioning to during this change in the seasons?
I can also be found at Chiot’s Run where I blog daily about gardening, cooking, local eating, beekeeping, and all kinds of stuff. You can also find me at Simple, Green, Frugal, Co-op, and you can follow me on Twitter.
Not Dabbling In Normal 
Soups! Already on my third soup of the season. And last night…meatloaf with sauteed kale and roasted sweet potatoes…it screamed fall!
How do you roast tomatoes for the freezer?
http://chiotsrun.com/2010/08/25/slow-roasting-tomatoes/
They’re so good this way!
So how do you do it?????
All you need to do it is cut the tomatoes in half, lay skin side down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (the parchment helps get them up later). If you want to, drizzle with olive oil and some freshly chopped herbs and sprinkle with salt and pepper, or simply roast as is, it’s up to you, I do both. Roast in a 225 degree oven for 4-8 hours or until reduced in size and slightly moist, cooking time depends on size of tomatoes and your oven. You can try raising oven temp to 250, but you may get some dark spots on the tomatoes, it depends on your oven. I like to put mine in the oven before I go to bed and set the timer for 6 hours. The next morning I check the tomatoes, remove any that are finished and continue roasting any tomatoes that aren’t quite done. You can taste one after 3-4 hours and you’ll be able to tell if it’s done or not. It should taste like concentrated tomato with a slightly sweet tang. If it’s still acidic and sour, roast for a while longer. Then freeze.
Lots and Lots of acorn and butternut squash.
All of my tomatoes have lost their flavor too. I suppose being in the 30’s at night doesn’t help!
I grew a lot of potatoes this year, so we’re feasting on those. Oh, and I’ve got about 100 kale plants. Lots of other vegetables, but that’s what I have in abundance.
We are eating a lot of potatoes, squash, pumpkins, spinach, and of course everything I preserved all summer long. We won’t lack for food, though I sure like to warm the house with soup and bread.
-Brenda
Here, we are coming up on lettuce season.
In Tejas, it’s very hard to grow lettuces in the summer — so truly local leafy summer salads are either hydroponically grown or made of things like purslane, beet greens, lamb’s quarters and the like. All of which is good, but I miss real salad.
Last weekend, I put beets, mesculn mix, and arugula seeds in the ground just under my kitchen windows. I can’t wait for their little heads to poke up.
One of the things I love best about our move to Virginia is fresh peaches. . . and yet I’m now tired of them and ready to move on to apples!! That’s in addition that’s been listed above already.
I can still get tomatos at the farmer’s market, but they don’t taste right anymore (same as above comments).
Right now we are in the transition between the Spring Garden and getting into the fall garden. I miss eating things out of the garden right now. The seeds I have planted were popping up last week before I left town. I am really excited to see how things have grown while I have been away.
We are transitioning into Broccoli, Cabbage, lettuce, Chard, spinach, carrots, squash, zucchini, green beans, onion, beets. Lots of fall veggies.I do have tomatoes in and crossing my fingers they have enough time to produce! I would ilke to plant some turnips, but will have to wait until next year.
Sincerely, Emily
We’re already into the rutabagas, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, cabbage, kale type of winter veg at this time of year. Snow and regular hard freezes [-4C] in the forecast this week.