Pickled Grape Tomatoes

Good Afternoon,

My latest canning project was pickling grape tomatoes.  I got the recipe from "Ball's Blue Book: Guide to Preserving" 

The recipe is written as follows:
Pickled Grape Tomatoes
Yield: about 4 pints

1 quart grape tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup of white wine vinegar
1 quart water
4 sprigs fresh rosemary

Wash grape tomatoes; drain.  Combine salt, white wine vinegar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Pack grape tomatoes into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space.  Ladle hot liquid over tomatoes, leaving 1/4-inch head space.  Add 1 clove garlic and 1 sprig rosemary to each jar.  Remove air bubbles.   Adjust two-piece caps.  Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.
Note: Prick tomatoes to help prevent skin from cracking.

Okay, so here we go.  First, gather all your ingredients. (and then arrange and take a couple of cute pictures)  Wash your grape tomatoes and check for any tomatoes that don't look perfect.

(note to self: Remove the dating on the pictures next time!)
Then in a medium saucepan measure out your 1 teaspoon of salt and the 1 cup of white wine vinegar and bring them to a boil.  And like the directions said "Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  This is the perfect time to prick your tomatoes.  I lined up all my tomatoes on a cutting board and with a toothpick poked each one.

Now, while you are doing this take the time to smell the wonderful aroma of boiling vinegar wafting through your home.  Hmm... makes me smile just thinking about it.  Okay, back to the recipe.  Now that you've got your tomatoes pricked (and your jars and lids sanitized) go ahead and fill your jars with the tomatoes.  I did not buy enough tomatoes to fill 4 pint size jars, so I filled what I could.  Remember to leave 1/4-inch of head space.  Now take your vinegar/salt mixture and pour into your jars of tomatoes.  (Remembering to leave 1/4-inch of head space) and add 1 clove of garlic and 1 sprig  of rosemary to each jar.   Give the jar a quick shake or stick the end of spoon into the jar to make sure there are no air bubbles.  Put on your caps and drop into your boiling-water canner.   (fancy way of saying stock pot with a basket on the bottom.)  Process 10 minutes. 

And when they are done processing set them on a dry towel at least an inch apart and let them cool overnight. 

So now that you have these wonderful little jars of tomatoes, what do you do with them?  Well, eat them of course.  But if you want something a little fancier, remove tomatoes from jar and mix with your favorite dressing.  Or if you want use the vinegar in the jar add some olive oil and some herbs mix well and pour over tomatoes and add to your favorite veggie tray for something a little more exciting then celery!  -- Till next time!