Why Tomato Jam Should Be Your Jam
I am wondering at what point this all starts to feel real. This moving thing. We packed up almost everything we own a few weekends ago into a truck and drove it across 3 states and unloaded it into a really cute little home with wood floors and lots of windows, in the state of Utah. I'm still getting used to saying it all now and still refer to California as "back at home."
If you’re thinking about moving, let me tell you, DON’T. It's uncomfortable and expensive. And then, if you slap moving out of state and being pregnant on top of it and it’s like, whoa! NEVER MIND.
I mean, there’s nesting before a baby comes and then there’s “I’ve just moved and have a baby due in a few weeks nesting” and one is like a puddle compared to an ocean. I very much feel like I'm in the middle of the ocean. It’s been….fun.John and I were sitting on the steps of our new Utah home the other day, (taking a break from painting / moving / unpacking) when he said, “It doesn’t feel real yet. You know, that we’ve moved and that this is our home.”“I was just gonna say that!” I laughed.
I had my last ultrasound recently and the nurse laughed and pointed out how chubby our babe’s cheeks are. “Do you see that?" She pointed to a little profile view of our babe - she pointed to what looked like a little hill. "Those are CHEEKS! Oh PLEASE bring him in once he’s born," she laughed, "I HAVE to see those cheeks in person.”Looks like baby boy has his mom’s cheeks and knowing that made me think of how John and I are adding to our team soon and how excited I am to bring him home into his completely unfinished room and mess of a house and show him around. For some reason, thinking about that, made it all feel a little more real.Love you friends. xo
Heirloom Tomato Jam
adapted from HuckleberryWith all of this moving, heat and swollen feet, sandwiches are a real deal dinner option at the moment - and making this jam is about as much effort as I am willing to go to make dinner special right now.Tomato jam sandwiches may seem a little strange to you - but let me tell you, they're stinking fantastic. The jam is so easy to make, it basically requires cutting up fresh tomatoes and stewing them over a stovetop for a few hours until it gets thick and delicious. This stuff keeps for up to a month sealed in a good jar and it's perfect on thick french bread with a drizzle of olive oil and goat cheese, used on a BLT, turkey club or soft scrabbled egg toast. Mix it with some good quality mayonnaise, chopped basil and fresh garlic to make an incredible aioli. Seriously, experiment with it. It's tangy and sweet and goes with just about any cheese, veggie or protein - your sandwiches will never be the same!
- 2 lbs / 900g fresh heirloom tomatoes (see how to pick out the best tomatoes here.)
- 1 ½ cups / 270g cherry tomatoes (I got little baby cherry heirlooms )
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes ( optional (I didn't add this because #heartburnduringpregnancyisreal))
- Put all ingredients in a medium sized saucepan and cover with a little bit of water - should look like ½ inch (12mm) and you should barely see the water underneath all those tomatoes.
- Simmer over medium heat for about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. The water should be completely gone and cooked away. Your tomatoes should be a thick almost paste-like consistency. (See pics above for a reference.) You can put all your tomatoes in a blender, food processor or use a handheld blender - anyway you swing it - blend the tomato mixture together forming a smooth-ish paste. Now you have jam!
- Store jam in a very clean, air-tight, sealable jar (I love weck jars). It should keep for at least two weeks. Mine kept for a month. xo
