Recipe: Cocktail features just-squeezed tomato juice
The Fresh Bloody Mary has a lighter, more refreshing texture than the classic cocktail, which uses canned juice. Debbie Arrington
Making fresh tomato juice is easy; all it takes is a blender and really ripe tomatoes.
With this recent heat wave, tomatoes are nearly exploding with juice. Besides “juice tomatoes” bred specifically for their high water content, several common fast-maturing varieties work well for juice, too. That includes Early Girl, Ace, Celebrity and Better Boy. Round tomatoes tend to yield more juice than beefsteaks.
Some cooks suggest adding a few plum tomatoes for added body and thicker texture. Beloved for sauces, plum tomatoes such as Roma have fewer seeds and less water than other varieties.
Fresh tomato juice tastes and looks a little different than store-bought processed canned tomato juice. Fresh “squeezed” is not exposed to heat, so it stays a brighter, lighter, pinkish color, depending on variety. It also contains no added sugar or preservatives. Tomato juice can be frozen or used in tomato-based sauces, soups and other recipes.
Peeling the tomatoes is optional; the peel adds more color and fiber. The same goes for straining the juice for seeds.
What to do with that fresh juice? Try it in a Fresh Bloody Mary.
Cheers to ripe tomatoes!
Fresh tomato juice
Makes 2 cups
Ingredients:
1 pound very ripe tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Wash and core tomatoes. Chop tomatoes into quarters or eighths, depending on size. Put chopped tomatoes in blender or food processor. With the back of a wooden spoon, mash some of the tomatoes to release some juice. Process until tomatoes become liquified. Add salt and pepper to taste; pulse a few times to blend.
Use immediately or store in refrigerator.
Fresh Bloody Mary
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh tomato juice
3 ounces vodka
Juice of ½ lime
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce or to taste
1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish
¼ teaspoon celery salt
Celery stalks for garnish
Instructions:
In an ice-filled shaker, add all ingredients. Shake until blended.
Pour into tall ice-filled glasses. Add celery for garnish. Enjoy!
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Garden Checklist for week of May 5
Survey your garden after the May 4 rainstorm. Heavy rain and gusty winds can break the neck of large flowers such as roses. Also:
* Keep an eye on new transplants or seedlings; they could take a pounding from the rain.
* Watch out for powdery mildew. Warmth following moist conditions can cause this fungal disease to “bloom,” too. If you see a leaf that looks like it’s dusted with powdered sugar, snip it off.
* After the storm, start setting out tomato transplants, but wait on the peppers and eggplants (they want warmer nights). Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.
* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.
* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.
* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.
* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, radishes and squash.
* Plant onion sets.
* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias. Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.
* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom.
* Don’t wait; plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.
* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.
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