Libba Wolfe

Libba Wolfe's column appears twice monthly in Extra.

Recent columns

• Thanks for the lessons you've taught me over the years
• February is full of promise for your garden
• Sow the seeds of knowledge

• Column archive

Last spring I passed on to you some tomato growing tips from Scott Meyer, editor in chief of Organic Gardening Magazine. Then I got busy following his directions.

My Brandywine, German Johnson and Stripey tomato seedlings were in holes full of grass clippings and good soil by mid-May. We had some nice rains and they took off.

I decided to experiment a little. Some got stakes and some got cages the day I planted. The cages worked best for me. I was naive about how tall and heavy the plants get. The staked tomatoes were sprawling messes in no time. The big windstorm tore through in July and the caged plants were easier to shape up.

If you decide on cages next spring I advise you to get them early. Buying them in May is like trying to find a loaf of bread after a big snow starts falling.

Meyer recommended an organic fertilizer. I used Alaska Fish Fertilizer a few times on all but one plant. Since I'm still waiting for a tomato from that particular plant, I'm a believer.

Some folks say you shouldn't use a sprinkler on tomatoes, especially at night. Maybe I was just lucky, but I did both. When I turned on the sprinkler at sunset I'd whisper, "OK kids, pretend this is rain." None of them got any spots or molds.

I swaggered into the kitchen in mid-July with my first homegrown tomato and made a sandwich. I could hardly get over myself. We've had tomatoes almost every meal since.

I've spread a layer of homemade pesto on a store-bought pizza crust and topped it with thin slices of seeded tomato. Sprinkle with grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. While it bakes I make a green salad, and supper is ready.

My brother Clay picked up this hot tip for fried green tomatoes at the produce stand he visits. Dip thick slices of green tomato in beaten egg and dredge in instant mashed potato flakes before sauteing till brown. I used a package of flakes flavored with roasted garlic and Parmesan. Yum! Great with grilled pork chops. Wonderful on a BLT. (I've always turned my nose up at instant mashed potatoes, but I tried the rest of the package one night. Not bad in an emergency.)

My daughter Mariah makes a wonderful tomato pie. In a baked pie shell, layer thin slices of seeded tomato with salt, pepper and torn basil leaves. Top with a mixture of ²₃ cup mayo and one tablespoon Dijon mustard. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes, then slide under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the top. I know I'll be dreaming of that summery taste in January.

Recipes in my family are rather loosey-goosey. When I would ask my grandmother for detailed instructions, she would say, "Well, cook it till it looks right." Measurements were always vague since she used what she had and tasted as she worked.

Mama is the same way. When I asked her what kind of tomatoes she used in the following recipe she said, "Whatever your Daddy brought in from the garden," so I guess it doesn't matter. She wasn't sure exactly how many pints it made (I'm guessing 8 to 10) because she grabbed random sizes from her vast jar collection on the back porch.

She did say there is a "do not double" note on the ancient stained recipe card. If you enjoy loosey-goosey recipes, try this spicy brown tomato ketchup (right). It's wonderful on a hamburger. My family loves a heaping spoonful stirred into a bowl of field peas or black-eyed peas that have been simmering all day with a piece of country ham.

I'm guessing if the nights stay warm and we don't get too much rain we might have another month of luscious home-grown tomatoes. The farmers markets are still loaded. No matter how you serve 'em, you can't beat 'em.

TO DO: It's time to start poking around local stores, nursery catalogs and online sites for spring flowering bulbs. Try a patch of something new this year. October planting time is right around the corner.

Spicy BrownTomato Catsup

1 peck tomatoes

6 green bell peppers, quartered

6 sweet onions, quartered

4 Tbsp. each salt and pepper

2 Tbsp. celery seed

1 tsp. ground clove

1 cup sugar

1 cup horseradish (I do more)

1 ½ pints vinegar

Quarter and cook the tomatoes with peppers and onion until tender, run through a food processor. Add the rest and cook over medium-low until thick. Seal and process in a boiling-water bath.