One more thing, Alana states that you:

"end up with something slightly shriveled, released juice, a little bit dehydrated, caramelized at the edges. It’s totally delicious right away; you could just pour the whole tray over spaghetti right away."

I couldn't agree with her more.

They look so good! Love roasted tomatoes ... cherry, plum, beefsteaks. All taste heavenly roasted. And the beauty is you can transform any flavorless grocery store tomato in the dead of winter. What's not to love about that!

Must be something in the air...I mean garden. I am preparing mine to roast; I hope they come out as good as yours. I agree, it's hard to save some for the sauce.

They certainly look delicious. I've got to get some to roast. I think there is something in the air -- a couple of nights ago I roasted some tomatoes that were shriveling a bit. Figured they'd be an OK side dish. Once I tasted them, I wondered why I didn't do this more often.

We always get a 1/2 bushel of Romas at the store every year. I make Ina's Roasted Tomato and Basil soup and roasted sauce etc. They were in the stores last week for $7, and $12 at the market for a 1/2 bushel.

But our freezer is full, no room this year. :-(

It's a lousy year here for tomatoes, even the farm markets don't have any. Sherry/sheshebop called to see if I had some up here, there are none in her part of Northern Indiana either. So, if I get my hands on some, maybe I'll have a few to roast. If the frost holds off...

Annie

Oh Annie, so sorry to hear; it's been a very hot and humid summer for tomatoes. I always think of a picture you posted years ago with your whole outside picnic table covered in freshly picked tomatoes!

Cathy, I couldn't agree more, we used half of what I made today over some cooked spaghetti with garlic olive oil and Parmesan cheese for dinner. Perfect with a glass of Pinot. Seems like a lot of work to get just a small amount, but oooh is it worth it!

Annie, that does not compute. No tomatoes?

We have been smoking, roasting, making salsa for weeks.

Even had a tom tasting. I did have some favorites that did not do well...

If you grow just two i have found in so many off year climates, Cherokee purple or cherokee chocolate...and Sun Gold...the best the past few years. And i am in an odd zone 5a in the mountains.

I do roast so many but do not add any herb blends....i need them roasted without so i can use them later all winter in various dishes....best just plain roasted.

I've been doing up ++ sheet pans of these lately, in a similar version. They are like candy when done :) I do mix a pinch of sugar in with my salt before sprinkling, maybe that's why lol. I've been adding a splash more of olive oil, then freezing them in batches, to enjoy in the winter.

sleevendog, I'm 5a also, although if you go 50 miles west to The Lake, it's 6a, the Lake Effect moderates the temps and creates a micro-climate.

Anyway, it's been wet, then dry. Unusually cool to start which meant everything was late in maturing. Lots of early cool rainy weather gave me tons of foliage, but not many blossoms on things like peppers and tomatoes. I've gotten two small eggplants from my 6 plants, if frost holds off another couple of weeks I'll probably have a ton, and maybe tomatoes too. I got a zillion zucchini and cucumbers, though, and just dug potatoes and the sweet corn was exceptional and I have leeks by the basket full. Oh, and more butternut squash than I'll ever figure out what to do with. Last year they kept in storage until Easter when we ate the last one, so maybe they'll be the same this year. Beets were amazing, as was the kale and my Purple Dragon Carrots, but the rutagaga, turnips and parsnips all got horribly disfigured by root maggots. Kohlrabi never made bulbs and a rabbit ate all 24 cabbage plants.

As for tomatoes, this year I planted Wisconsin 55, Peppi sent me the seeds. They all died. Some Taxi are hanging in there, I might pick a couple next week. Sungold died. Great White is loaded with tons of tomatoes but the few that have ripened have blossom end rot, as do the Pineapple and Mortgage Lifter. I have a couple of Peach that I picked and put in the window to ripen, although they are quite small. Sweet Million has done nothing, the Yellow Pear are all split, and even my old standby Rutgers are loaded with green tomatoes but all red ones are either split or eaten by the voles. The Indigo Rose might actually survive, although there is no sign of ripening. Tomatillos are loving it, though, and I've fried those in place of green tomatoes and they're delicious that way.

It's a good thing I canned last year until I ran out of jars, because this year for tomatoes isn't looking so good. I still can't complain, I have an embarrassment of riches from my garden and have three Carolina Reaper peppers in pots, so I can move them inside. Elery paid far too much for seeds and I'm gonna grow those darned things no matter what!

Annie

I roast plain, blend, sieve and freeze to have that wonderful flavour in the winter.

"If you grow just two i have found in so many off year climates, Cherokee
purple or cherokee chocolate...and Sun Gold...the best the past few
years. And i am in an odd zone 5a in the mountains."

I'd have to agree here in southern zone 8b. I find Indian Stripe tastes very similar to Cherokee Purple and it gives me higher production. LOVE Sun Gold, but am going to trial a couple Sun Sugar next year just to compare.

I prefer roasted with just olive oil and salt.

I have been roasting toms for several years now, when I get tired of canning. Tired already, but still have the San Marzano's coming in. I do have a bakers tray full of Juliet, a large grape tomato, so will get roasted on Saturday, when the temps will be 60 degrees. Bag them up, pop into the freezer and use them for salads, soups, pot roasts antipasto trays and pasta sauces. Yum!

I should try to get some at the Farmers' Markets - I planted mine late and won't have any tomatoes for another couple of months, but the plants are doing very well in the heat that we've been having, as long as I keep them watered. I planted seeds this year, which I do not normally do, and I don't remember what I planted, as I did not expect them to come up.

I never put salt and pepper on tomatoes when I roast them, as I find that interferes with the sweet taste. I do not like sweet and salty together. I made a Margherita omelet last week-end with fresh tomatoes, fresh Mozzarella, and fresh basil, but I think Kevin didn't like it. He doesn't like raw tomatoes, but I think they got cooked in the omelet. He saved his for later and reheated it to cook the tomatoes more. He would probably like roasted tomatoes, however.

I checked, and it appears that I planted Roma Tomatoes.