By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Tomato problems can be vast, confusing, and a pain for many gardeners.

All gardeners experience the heart stopping moment when one discovers a problem with their prized tomato plants.

And we all have experienced the telltale signs of chewed leaves, stems and huge green caterpillars that seem to appear out of nowhere.

But solutions are insight if you follow a few time-tested preventative measures.

Cleanliness is the Key

Keeping the garden clean year round is a key to reducing problems. When the season is over, remove all the material and destroy the tomato plants or any plant in the nightshade family. Many plant diseases remain on Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

The tomato in this dish is really only a condiment, yet it elevates a satisfying soup into something more memorable by adding a sweetness to off-set the mild and herby quality of the zucchini and mint.

This is another wonderful early summer first course, and it is a perfect introduction to roast chicken or fish.

Makes about ½ gallon soup, with 1 cup of tomato confit.

• 4 zucchini, rough chop
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, left whole
• 2 cups heavy cream Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

Eggplant is such a rich and hearty vegetable that we sometimes forget that it is a summer vegetable, which makes it a natural partner for tomatoes.

Given its richness, it is also a fairly forgiving ingredient to work with, in that almost any ingredient can be paired with it.

Tomatoes, however, are a natural, as their sweetness offset the meaty and sometimes bitter flavor of eggplant.

This is a good sauce to serve with roasted meat, chicken or pork, and can also serve as a soup.

Makes about ½ gallon

• 1 large eggplant
• 4 red globe tomatoes
• juice of 1 lemon Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

These are not the most outlandish of partners, as tomatoes are sweet and mustard is sharp, the two a great partners to a simple ham and cheese sandwich.

Yet there are other ways to combine tomatoes and mustard that we don’t normally think of.

The most old-fashioned of French classics calls for things like mustard in a choid-froid sauce, that forgotten concoction of mayonnaise and gelatin that coats poached fish served cold with a salad.

Others might be a variation of steak Dianne, the cream sauce enriched with mustard. My favorite is probably French ketchup a mixture of prepared ketchup, brandy, mustard, and mayonnaise.

About the only way I could ever imagine of improving on the original is to roast fresh tomatoes, strain them and reduce the sauce over very low heat Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

Tomatoes love to be dirty, and to me one of the best ways to make them taste good is to get them drunk.

Brandy is a natural pairing, as it’s both sweet and rich, and it is also a part of many versions of au poivre sauce.

This is an obvious choice for steak, though it also goes well with chicken and even pork.

It takes little more than brandy, cream, and black pepper to make it complete, though slow simmering and a well-made chicken stock helps.

Make about 4 cups of sauce

• 2 shallot, sliced
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 cup brandy
• ½ cup red wine Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

This sauce is adapted from a simple balsamic glaze I learned from a chef about six years ago.

I only remember him as Mike, but his foul mouth, sense of humor, and deft hand with sauces will remain with me.

Here, I am really only adding tomato paste to his sauce, which had a sublime balance between salty and sweet.

It goes especially well with roast chicken that has very crispy skin that has been rubbed with herbs.

Makes about 2 cups of sauce

• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste Read the rest of this entry »