It’s been a series of hot, dry spells that have defined the summer of 2013. It has not rained much since the summer solstice, and Sunday was a real oven. We are looking forward to a cooler forecast for the tenth anniversary party.

Tomatoes continue to ripen and fill the shares. We hope you have been able to see them go to use. One easy way to use them is to “beef up” a store bought sauce. You can’t have too many tomatoes in your tomato sauce. It is nice to get the skin off if you are going to cook them for awhile, otherwise you get curls of skin in the sauce.

Pasta tomatoes are the best for sauce

You can blanch your tomatoes in the same boiling water you are going to use to make pasta. Dunk your tomatoes in the water for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes and then cool in cold water. The skins will peel off when you core the tomato. Chop them, heat them in a pan, and then add the tomato sauce. Meanwhile bring the pot of water back to a boil and cook the pasta. A great way to stretch that can of sauce.

Narrow quarters in the high tunnel