Blueberry Christmas

The daytime highs hovered around 100 degrees for weeks – too hot for tomato plants to produce much at all. But the temperatures are finally dropping, and it looks like there will be plenty of fat heirloom tomatoes soon. I’ll eat a few straight off the vine. I might can some, but right now I’m craving this:

Homemade Tomato Juice

3 pounds very ripe garden tomatoes, cored and chopped

1 1/4 cups chopped celery with leaves

1/3 cup chopped onion

A tablespoon or two sugar (to taste)

1 teaspoon salt

Pinch black pepper

A few drops of Cholula or Tabasco (to taste)

Put all ingredients into a large stainless steel (not aluminum) pot. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until mixture is soupy, about 25 minutes. Run mixture through a food mill. Cool completely. Store covered and chilled. Store in refrigerator and use within a week.