A Little Longer
The tomatoes are still coming in.
There are not enough to become an Industry, which is fortunate because I do not have the appropriate hat for that.
There are enough to become jam.
I chopped a small pile of them this afternoon and put them in a saucepan with brown sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, and salt. Once everything began to simmer, I added thyme and rosemary and left the pan to quietly sort itself out.
Tomatoes are very dramatic at first. They release an unreasonable amount of liquid and make the whole undertaking look doubtful.
Then they soften. The juices thicken. The wooden spoon begins leaving a path through something dark red and glossy.
The kitchen smelled green and sweet and slightly sharp.
Outside, the vines were still doing their best impression of midsummer. Inside, one jar slowly appeared.
Smokey supervised from a chair he had taken without discussion. He showed no interest in the jam, but considerable interest in the bread waiting nearby. This felt opportunistic, even for him.
I like keeping tomatoes this way. It does not require turning the whole garden into a preservation operation. A few ripe ones, a small pan, and enough time for the herbs to wander through.
Sometimes something is lovely, and I would like to meet it again next week.
That is reason enough.
Especially if there is bread.
Small-Batch Herbed Tomato Jam
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 small sprig fresh thyme
- 1 small sprig fresh rosemary
- Black pepper, to taste
Method
Add the tomatoes, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and salt to a small heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Bring to a gentle simmer, then add the thyme and rosemary.
Cook uncovered over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have collapsed and the mixture is thick, glossy, and spoonable. This usually takes 35–50 minutes, depending on the tomatoes.
Remove the herb stems and add a little black pepper.
Let the jam cool, then transfer it to a clean jar.
Refrigerate and use within roughly 1–2 weeks.
This is a small refrigerator batch, not a shelf-stable canning recipe.
