Amish End of Garden Salsas and Relishes

By Kevin Williams

The end of the garden means that a lot of Amish cooks are trying to feverishly use up the end of the garden goodies before the first frosts arrive and in places like Maine and Minnesota that day is going to be arriving anytime, if it hasn't already.

In more temperate Amish areas like Ohio and Indiana and Pennsylvania most Amish probably will squeeze another month out of their garden before the frosts bring down the curtain on it.

Salsas have become very popular among the Amish. The traditionally South-of-the-Border favorite has found a natural home among the Amish because it's a great way to use up tomatoes, which are often plentiful on Amish farms. This is a stockpile of home-canned salsa in one Amish woman's kitchen.

This year's tomato harvest has been bountiful in the Midwest with generally ideal growing conditions.

Get a perfect blend together from your garden.

And then get some chips and enjoy!

A Victorio strainer is the weapon of choice for most Amish cooks in working up tomatoes.

EASY SPICY SALSA

Makes about 4-5 cups spicy salsa.  Our friend Jessica made this recently.  It tacks closely to a lot of Amish homes, but she used a food processor.  Most Amish would use a Victorio strainer to pulverize their tomatoes instead.

3 large ripe tomatoes, puréed in a food processor

6-8 Roma or paste tomatoes, finely chopped

1 small to medium onion, finely chopped

3 small Serrano chili peppers (or 1-2 jalapenos), finely chopped

2 green bell peppers, puréed

⅛ cup honey

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

⅛ cup chopped cilantro, optional