Showing posts with label Tomato Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tomato Day. Show all posts
Friday, August 21, 2009
Cara:Tomato Day Part II
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Cara
See I worked..I even wore my tomato shirt and notice the tomato red flip flops...no one appreciated them. I like to look the part what can I say....hating this picture of me, I look like I should be in the fields in Italy...what I will do for a blog post...seriously.
They are done all…300 and something jars. Whew. I can’t take much credit this year for the actually work. As much as I thought we would start a little later that day, the Tomato Nazi (a.k.a. Mother in Law) would not have it. It HAD to be started at the butt crack of dawn no if, ands or buts about it. (no pun intended) So after a few insane screaming phone calls at 6:30 a.m. Papa, Auntie S. and Sam (sent as my representative) went “up north” on the double to get to work. I on the other hand…the “Prima Donna” (I am sure they call me something like that behind my back) didn’t come early. I had to take Mike to his first sailing lesson and I was not about to drop him off in the Bay and leave because we were summoned for tomatoes. This is when Tomato Day starts to get not fun and part of the reason I stayed away as long as I could.
Let me reiterate. I have a life. Yes, I want the fresh jars of tomatoes in my pantry waiting for me all year. Yes, I want to keep the tradition going long after the Tomato Nazi can’t do it anymore. But I have things that are believe it or not; more important than jars of tomatoes. The highlight of my summer is not Tomato Day as it apparently is for others.
So after sailing lessons, I hauled my butt “up north” to my brother in law’s house, to try to do my share. I felt it when I got there. (Oh she is finally here…). I have been in this family far too long to really give a crap. My kids come first, end of story. Years ago I would have gotten all defensive and pissy. Now, I just don’t care.
So I got involved and did whatever was left to be done. Sam did her share so really, I have no guilt. I think getting a 16 year old up at 6:30 am on a hot summer morning to make tomatoes is a feat in itself. I should get an extra jar of tomatoes for that at least. But we did laugh. We talked about all the family members that weren’t there. (Oh please you know you do the same thing!) We cursed tomatoes and vowed not to look at another one for months. I cleaned up like no one’s business which is really the icky job but it was only fair. (or more like punishment for being late). And that’s that. Tomato Day 2009 is done. I have asked for more planning next year. I know I won’t get it, but I keep trying.
Below some scenes from Tomato Day 2009…
They are done all…300 and something jars. Whew. I can’t take much credit this year for the actually work. As much as I thought we would start a little later that day, the Tomato Nazi (a.k.a. Mother in Law) would not have it. It HAD to be started at the butt crack of dawn no if, ands or buts about it. (no pun intended) So after a few insane screaming phone calls at 6:30 a.m. Papa, Auntie S. and Sam (sent as my representative) went “up north” on the double to get to work. I on the other hand…the “Prima Donna” (I am sure they call me something like that behind my back) didn’t come early. I had to take Mike to his first sailing lesson and I was not about to drop him off in the Bay and leave because we were summoned for tomatoes. This is when Tomato Day starts to get not fun and part of the reason I stayed away as long as I could.Let me reiterate. I have a life. Yes, I want the fresh jars of tomatoes in my pantry waiting for me all year. Yes, I want to keep the tradition going long after the Tomato Nazi can’t do it anymore. But I have things that are believe it or not; more important than jars of tomatoes. The highlight of my summer is not Tomato Day as it apparently is for others.
So after sailing lessons, I hauled my butt “up north” to my brother in law’s house, to try to do my share. I felt it when I got there. (Oh she is finally here…). I have been in this family far too long to really give a crap. My kids come first, end of story. Years ago I would have gotten all defensive and pissy. Now, I just don’t care.
So I got involved and did whatever was left to be done. Sam did her share so really, I have no guilt. I think getting a 16 year old up at 6:30 am on a hot summer morning to make tomatoes is a feat in itself. I should get an extra jar of tomatoes for that at least. But we did laugh. We talked about all the family members that weren’t there. (Oh please you know you do the same thing!) We cursed tomatoes and vowed not to look at another one for months. I cleaned up like no one’s business which is really the icky job but it was only fair. (or more like punishment for being late). And that’s that. Tomato Day 2009 is done. I have asked for more planning next year. I know I won’t get it, but I keep trying.
Below some scenes from Tomato Day 2009…
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Cara Scenes from Tomato Day
One of 18 bushels of tomatoes....ready, set, squish!
Tomato bath...first we wash, then we wash again....
The Tomato Nazi... not her best picture.
Luckily she doesn't read my blog!
I do love her dearly
just don't like her much when it's tomato time, but she knows it!!
Tomato assembly line...pictured: The Better Tomato Daughter-in-law, her mom who gets in on the fun even though she is as Irish off the boat as my in-laws are Italian; and my father-in-law a.k.a. Papa..and yes he is wearing a "guinea tee" (I'm Italian I am allowed to say that) and gold chains. I think he even may have been wearing white socks and sandals. I do not make this up...
Tomato ass...see told you we have some fun!
Pot cooking with about 9 dozen tomatoes in it
to give you an idea how big the pot is...
Jarred, boiled and ready to sit and cool
Monday, August 17, 2009
Cara: Tomato Day
Today is Tomato Day. The day my family-in-laws “do” the tomatoes. We wash, boil, peel squash, jar, and boil 17 bushels of tomatoes to make sauce for the year. It’s quite the process, one I had avoided for many, many years. I don’t have anything against Tomato Day, really. Way back when I worked full time my mother-in-law to be wanted me to take a vacation day to do tomatoes with them. Uh, no. I was all about big hair, long fake nails and name brand clothes back then. I was not wasting a day off, getting up before dawn and getting covered in tomato guts. No thanks.
Then as the years went on I just didn’t participate, even when my sister law joined the fun because my brother in law didn’t want to eat sauce made from tomatoes from a can. Luckily for me my husband even though he is Italian through and through didn’t really care as long as I didn’t GOD FORBID use jarred sauce. I would never. I didn’t grow up on jarred sauce either.
In recent years my Sam decided she really liked the way Grandma's sauce tasted. We deducted it was because of the tomatoes. So it began. It’s not as bad as I thought it would be. It’s kinda fun. We talk about things. We laugh. We bond over tomatoes. It’s a family tradition. Sam helps. My 9 year old niece helps now too. Even “the men” help out too twisting jars closed or lugging cases of freshly made sauce.
We are not starting too early today. Everyone’s life is busy now and things get in the way. But sauce will be made. I know my friends wanted to get involved, but this year it was a 24 hour decision that Tomato Day is upon us. So maybe next year, if I can urge the group to plan ahead a little better then I can invite others to participate. I will let you know how Tomato Day goes. Now where did I put my babushka?
We are not starting too early today. Everyone’s life is busy now and things get in the way. But sauce will be made. I know my friends wanted to get involved, but this year it was a 24 hour decision that Tomato Day is upon us. So maybe next year, if I can urge the group to plan ahead a little better then I can invite others to participate. I will let you know how Tomato Day goes. Now where did I put my babushka?
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