I'm a 33 year old Manhattan guy. My neighbor is a 21 year old dude that got a gym membership around the corner from our building. I'm a pretty big muscular (not being conceited guy and he's a smaller guy that is bettering his life at the gym. Started talking to him at the gym and mentioned that while I was in university I did an exchange in France and Italy (not food related) but worked part time in some restaurants there. Also mentioned I met a guy whose grandfather grew tomatoes in Naples and once showd me how to make Passatta.. the Italian canned tomato sauce…and that i liked it. Fine. A few days ago I popped into a bar not far away and saw my neighbor there alone getting kinda picked on by these guys that were bigger than him. He didn't notice me at first but I could kinda see/hear the "I'm nervous/in trouble" I walked behind the two guys at the bar who were picking on him (I'm just under 6'4) and said to my neighbor "what's up man, good to see ya" the two jerks took off. The kid was relieved and thankful. FAST-FORWARD to last night: 8pm, knock at my door. There is my neighbor and his southern italian immigrant grandparents with 10 bushels of tomatoes, three giant stock pots , jars and a hand crank passata machine. 🤦♂️ I have a 600sqft tiny apartment that has 10 bushels of tomatoes. His grandpa (his folks died unfortunately) was so grateful that he drove out to wherever he buys his tomatoes…and bought me some. He said in that great accent "on Saturday morning, I come back about 7am and we make the sauce.. I bring the wine…. thank you for what you do for my grandson". I am not going to lie.. kinda got my eyes watery.
Edit: I have started to make "canned peeled tomatoes" after watching am Italian grandma on YouTube names Gina.
by Agitated-Quit-6148
4 Comments
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Put my username in the following pic because on another sub people accused me of karma farming and said I had zero tomatoes lol
https://preview.redd.it/5mfd75k5nwld1.jpeg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1a72dc23ed758a50eddcec84db87f44286f3afeb
That’s a wonderful story! I do want to add…our focus here is on safety and we encourage folks to check the wiki on the right for canning sites with approved recipes and methods. There are a lot of Youtube channels and online blogs that feature “old world” canning, like open kettle, inversion canning etc. The Youtube channel you mention is one example…she does not add citric acid or bottled lemon juice to her canned tomatoes and she covers her jars after they come out of the canner (to cool overnight under the blanket). Canned foods can develop something called flat sour from leaving just processed food warm for too long. It won’t kill you but it gives an off taste.
So whats the recipe?