Freeze Summer In Its Tracks
Stock The Freezer Now to Taste Peak Summer Anytime
Summer is in full swing! Rootstock is working on the Fall season’s selections and we’re looking forward to that too. But you know what inevitably comes around right?
Are you looking forward to the long, dark miserable winter months of Bay Area winter. You know what we’re talking about—the bitter, whipping winds, endless weeks of dark gray skies, and the backbreaking work shoveling snow.
Exaggeration you say? OK, maybe, but when it’s gone, it will feel like a long time before summer’s finest is back in the Rootstock store. We suggest planning ahead and easing this sad goodbye with a big stock up and freezing session.
Feeling Blue?
Yes, all good things come to an end and soon it’s time to say goodbye to blueberries for the summer. We’re likely to have only a couple more weeks of Coastal Moon blueberries and then they’ll be gone.
Or not.
Here’s now to create a convenient stash of blueberries to get you through the harsh Bay Area Winter:
Frozen Blueberries
1. Gently rinse blueberries and dry thoroughly.
2. Spread the berries out in a single layer on a baking sheet or tray lined with parchment. Don’t crowd them too much so they don’t stick together.
3. Place the tray in the freezer until the berries are completely frozen (overnight).
4. Tip the tiny, frozen blue marbles into mason jars or freezer bags. Label & date. Keep frozen for up to 6 months.
Add to your favorite smoothie recipe or thaw overnight in the fridge for use in recipes.
Seeing Red?
The vines are overflowing and the flavor is dialed—it’s peak tomato season! We’ll have tomatoes for many weeks to come but eventually, the harvest will wind down.
Stock up now, start saucing. Here’s a simple way to sauce some tomatoes and freeze peak summer in its tracks.
Simple Tomato Sauce
1. Mince 3 cloves of garlic, over medium heat, cook garlic in olive oil until fragrant.
2. Rinse 2 lbs of cherry tomatoes and pour into the saucepan
3. Simmer tomatoes until the tomatoes begin to burst, stirring now and then.
4. Carefully pour the tomatoes into a blender, no more than halfway full—work in batches.
5. Blend or Puree to desired texture. Again be careful of the hot tomatoes.
6. Return to saucepan, salt to taste
7. Ladle into straight‑sided mason jars or quart freezer bags, leaving 1 inch headspace.
8. Label, date, and freeze. Keep frozen for up to 6 months.
Thaw overnight in the fridge or in a cold‑water bath for an instant dose of summer.
“Hey, Tom—cold in here, eh?” “You got that right, Barry!”
(This story also appears in the July 17 edition of the Rootstock Gazette)
