Not sure if others have preferences, but I like Nellie & Joe's key lime juice. Its been consistant quality for many years now. I buy it by the case of 12 bottles from the internet, as most local stores either carried it at one time, or now offer other brands of lessor quality. There is also a brand called Kermits, that claim to be twice the strengt, but I noticed that the two times stronger was meant for the very bitter flavor. I didn't really care for that brand as much. As to vinegar, a 5% wine vinegar can be used, as well as cider vinegar.

You can peel tomatoes with 2 differant methods.

On a fresh tom, make a small and not too deep "X" at the base, then plunge into boiling water for about a minute, or until you see the skin crack a bit. Remove from pot and place into an ice bath to cool and stop all cooking that has started. Stand at the sink and slip the skins off.

The other method is to place them into the freezer and let them go rock hard. Simply place them under some warm running water, rub gently and the skins slide off also. Defrost some more and you can sqeeze, (gently or you have tomatoes on the walls), the seeds out and chop for the salsa or sauces.

I made Annies salsa yesterday and used a mix of vinegar and lime jiuce....very good!

I don't even bother with the X, just wash and plunge into the water. I find 20-30 seconds is plenty. You'll see the skins start splitting on the tomatoes. Then plunge into a basin of ice water and start coring and peeling.

ReaLime is what most use for the lime juice.

Equivalents: 3 medium round garden tomatoes = 1 pound = 2 1/2 - 3 cups chopped.

5 medium Italian tomatoes = 1 pound = 2 cups chopped.

Carol

Thanks

Used half Real Lemon and half Nellie & Joe's key lime juice, had them both in the fridge.

Used Gypsy, Jalapeno and Poblano peppers. Left out the sugar but did add tomato paste.

Doubled the cilantro since we love it.

We thought it was really good when we tasted before cooking so are making two more batches.

Ah ha! We got another one..........

:+)

Deanna

I just posted in Hilde's thread, didn't someone say that 1lb = 1.5 cups? The safe recipe in her thread said 12c of tomatoes was about 6lbs, so that looks like 1lb = 2 cups?

But now Ball says:

Tomatoes, round garden or globe,3 medium = 1 lb = chopped 2 1/2 to 3 cups

or peeled and crushed or put through food mill =1 1/2 cups

I'm confused again...

My local fruit stand had a box of tomatoes 24 lbs for $12 so I bought that. Got three batches of salsa out of it plus there were at least eight rotten and six for salads or sandwiches.

We'll try again. The original posted yields do come from Ball and it varies depending upon how the tomatoes are prepared.

We are speaking of round garden tomatoes, not Italian plum tomatoes. So, to summarize:

1 pound of round garden tomatoes = 2 1/2 to 3 cups of chopped tomatoes OR 1 1/2 cups of crushed or pureed tomatoes. If you crush or puree the tomatoes a pound will result in less volume.

Carol

There is less volume since there aren't all those little air spaces between the pieces of tomato.

Thanks for adding that Melly. Maybe that will clarify.

Carol