This year we have been working with Sacha and Michael to follow the time honoured tradition of conserving locally grown tomatoes for the winter and hungry gap when they cannot be grown here – even in a polytunnel!

The tomatoes in these conserves were grown this year in the newest polytunnel at the farm. They were baked and bottled on the day of harvest with the only other ingredient being lemon juice to aid the preservation process.  The process for conserving them is currently going through organic certification and so the jars for this summer’s harvest are not being sold as organic, but Sacha and Michael have followed the same growing principles as we employ through the rest of Helen’s Bay. In this our first year, we are trialing three products.

TypeJam jar (370ml)Mason jar (450ml)Mason jar (900ml)
Bottled whole tomatoesnothing left out
Perfect for lasagnas or gratins
Not available£3.50£5.00
Tomato couliscrushed through a fine sieve
Use directly as a soup or in a stew
£2.00£2.50Not available
Tomato stockthe sweetest juice poured off just after baking the tomatoes
The perfect risotto stock
£1.00£1.50Not available

 

The mason jars carry an additional deposit of £1, refundable on return. They can be used for a lifetime, so it makes sense to re-use them. To open the mason jars, screw off the top then twist a coin under the lid to break vacuum seal.

 

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