
Krystal Beers is an avid heirloom gardener and active heritage livestock breed conservationist. A proud homemaker, Mrs. Beers has been collecting recipes, old-time lore, poetry and prose for 30 years. She presently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband where they raise rabbits, tend their organic kitchen garden, and are in the process of establishing an off-grid rural ranch.
Two Hunnyz Rabbitry Satin & American
Visit Our Blog- Journey Into The Country!
Clover Creek Mercantile- our on-line homestead storeI am very sorry to say that Krystal is leaving Homesteader News to pursue other adventures!
Her articles have been very interesting and a wonderful contribution. We wish her well in all her future pursuits.
If you feel you have the skills and knowledge to write great articles for Homesteader Kitchen please send a draft to homesteadernews@yahoo.com
Thanks for all your help Krystal!
LaMar
Sun-Dried Tomatoes Preserved in Olive Oil
By Krystal Beers
Oil is a remarkable food preservative! Once immersed, many foods will keep almost indefinitely. This method has been practiced for generations, especially in Mediterranean countries. Though tomatoes are the object of our desire this time, many foods lend themselves well to preserving in oil- herbs, cheese, artichoke hearts, eggplant, mushrooms, olives, zucchini.
For most, tomato season is through. Your bountiful (hopefully) crop has been either already consumed or transformed into fresh-tasting products to enjoy throughout the winter. I can just imagine the gleaming jars of red lining pantry shelves everywhere! So, use the information in this article for planning next year’s luscious crop.
Last year we planted a new-to-us heirloom tomato called “Principe Borghese”, said to be the classic Italian sun-drying tomato. The very reason we chose it for our kitchen garden, to dry and preserve. In a generally bad tomato year for many, it performed well, but the harvest was small. Such as it was, the effort was worth it. I have yet to meet an heirloom tomato I don’t like, but this little beauty is truly special! Bold tomato flavor, medium sweetness, lots of flesh, slightly acidic with a finish on your palate as smooth and creamy as home-churned butter. Mm. Whichever tomato variety you choose, small ones with fewer seeds turn out the best. Here are the instructions:
Ingredients:
Very ripe small tomatoes
Olive oil
Sterilized glass pint jars and lids
Drying apparatus
Method:
Have at the ready your drying trays. Wash and slice tomatoes in half lengthwise with a sharp knife so as not to crush them. Place tomato halves cut side up on trays; close together but not touching. Dry according to the directions for tomatoes in general for the type of drying apparatus you use. Let dry completely, but not become brittle. Remove and allow to cool thoroughly. Drop into jars, leaving 1-inch of headspace. Fill with olive oil to cover by ¾-inch. Seal and store in a cool place.
Voila! I just love pulling a jar of these little ruby gems from the pantry to add a special touch to an omelet, pasta dish, or as a hor d’oeuvres like in Italy. I hope you’ll give this old method a try, too! For more instructions and old, sometimes ancient, preservation methods read “Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning…” by The Gardeners & Farmers of Terre Vivante, with forwards by Elliot Coleman and Deborah Madison.

To the old saying that man built the house but woman made of it a "home" might be added the modern supplement that woman accepted cooking as a chore but man has made of it a recreation. ~Emily Post
Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all. ~Stanley Horowitz
Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon. ~Doug Larson

“Eating Off the Grid- storing and cooking foods without electricity” – Denise Hansen, MS, RD
This unique guide for utilizing long-term dry storage food items will help you prepare over 270 tasty and healthy dishes with little, if any, help from electricity, transportation, or processing. Dishes are mostly vegetarian due to use of ingredients such as beans, whole grains, dry milk, and powdered eggs. Also includes recipe nutrition information, sample menu plan, and suggestions on how much/what to store for a full year supply of food. Definitely worth the space on a cookbook shelf!