I promise this is the last post about garden tomatoes, because the plants have been ripped out, and this little bundle is all that remains from the garden. Small to medium in size and firm, they look like they can hold up to a wet recipe. I’m a little tired of the fresh tomato slices on sandwiches now that the cool autumn is here, and I have enough crushed tomatoes in the freezer for a few winter sauces. In the colder months, I think a little spice is one way of convincing yourself that you are warm. Yet I still wanted to use them as garnish or accompaniment, so I looked around to see if you can pickle a tomato. I think I’ve found the recipe elements I would like—I better like them, because my husband likes neither tomatoes nor pickles. I’m imagining them on burgers or scrambled eggs, but if you have any other ideas, let me know.

You can find the recipe here (or Google “pickled farm stand tomatoes” because it is posted everywhere): http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pickled-farm-stand-tomatoes-with-jalapenos

The only changes I made to the recipe were not using ginger or scallions—ginger just didn’t seem right with tomatoes and I didn’t see any value to the fresh scallions—and substituting a small can of chopped chiles for the fresh jalapenos.

They are sitting in the fridge, now, in my old brown crock for eight hours. I sure hope I like them.

Last of the tomatoes

Tomatoes and chiles

In the pickling liquid

At rest