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.
| Type | Jam jar (370ml) | Mason jar (450ml) | Mason jar (900ml) |
| Bottled whole tomatoes – nothing left out Perfect for lasagnas or gratins | Not available | £3.50 | £5.00 |
| Tomato coulis – crushed through a fine sieve Use directly as a soup or in a stew | £2.00 | £2.50 | Not available |
| Tomato stock – the sweetest juice poured off just after baking the tomatoes The perfect risotto stock | £1.00 | £1.50 | Not 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.