The Reason Grape Tomatoes Exist

We have been growing a wide variety of heirloom tomatoes for the past 5 or 6 years.  When tomato season starts, we pull out our box of half emptied seed packs and decide which varieties we want to try again and what new varieties we need to order.   Not only do we tend to buy more seeds that we can plant each year, people give us seeds from their collection as well.  So this year, I decided to resist the temptation to order more seeds, and use the seed we had on hand before they got too old.  Apparently I was a little late, because the germination rate was low, and to make matters worse, I really didn't care for them properly.  (Bad gardener, bad.)  So when it became painfully obvious that the seedlings were beyond saving, the sad little things were sent to the compost bin. We didn't have time to wait for an online order to be delivered, and heirloom tomatoes seeds were not available at any of our local stores, so we settled for a few packs of hybrids and started over.  Germination was good and the plants grew quickly with the warmer temps.  Still, they were hybrids and we were pretty sure that we would be disappointed in the fruit.

We were  right.  As pretty as these "Jelly Bean" grape tomatoes are on the vines, the flavor was more reminiscent of a grocery store tomato in the middle of winter than a one just picked from a backyard garden.

I tried them on a salad and in omelets, but every time I ate one I felt cheated.  I usually dry a lot of  cherry and some Roma tomatoes each year, so I decided to dry a few of these.

With this batch, I sliced them in half, drizzled with a little olive oil and sprinkled with some sea salt, figuring they needed all the help they could get.  With other varieties, I have skipped the olive oil.  Sometimes I sprinkle them with chopped herbs from the garden...Basil, Rosemary, or Oregano. I've also read that some people like to give them a vinegar bath to preserve the color, but that certainly isn't needed with this variety.

Not only do they dry well due to their small and mostly uniform size, the flavor really intensifies and makes them hard to resist consuming them right away. But I try to save them for fall and winter meals like soup and stews,  or Ron's Breakfast Squares to Go or other egg dishes like this one with salmon:

And this year I am planning to experiment with grinding them and using in a ketchup recipe.

I have an Excalibur Dehydrator so that is what I use now, but in previous years I have used the oven with good results. (If you have a primal success story to tell, and want to win an Excalibur dehydrator along with some other great prizes, check out Mark's Daily Apple.)

In the dehydrator, it takes anywhere from 8 to 16 hours, depending on the quantity, size, and humidity levels.  Dry at around 135 degrees Fahrenheit until they are slightly pliable but not brittle.  

To dry in the oven, a pizza pan with a perforated surface works well, but a regular cookie sheet will work too. It also helps to use a wooden spoon or other suitable (safe) object to prop the door open slightly allowing moisture to escape.   Turn your oven to the lowest temp and dry until done (slightly pliable but not brittle).  This will most likely take less time than with the dehydrator since most ovens do not go as low as dehydrators. Some will get done before others and will need to be removed early, while others continue to dry.

If dried properly, these can be stored in a tightly sealed container in a cool dry pantry for several months (probably best to leave out the olive oil in that case) or in the fridge.  But they are so valuable to me, I find a place in the freezer...not taking any chances on losing these little tomato nuggets!

And from two plants, I was able to dry several batches like this over the summer...

And they are still producing!  The truth is, we probably will not grow them again next year because we have our favorite heirlooms in mind already, including Yellow Pear and Black Cherry, but if push comes to shove, this is the one hybrid that  may deserve a spot or two in our garden.