EASY WAY TO SPICE UP YOUR TOMATO SAUCE

A few years back I was preparing dinner on a fall evening and the recipe called for diced tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. The dinner was delicious but required a lot of preparation time. Now I am not a lazy man but I am always looking for short cuts even if they might have a slight negative effect on my target. With that in mind I had a brain storm…. What if I could easily alter the flavor of a tomato, not by cross pollination but by one of my short cuts? My idea seemed too simple to be true but I was ready to take on Mother Nature. I did some research and found a Polish gardener who was way ahead of me, Prima Aprilis.  Hopefully my English translation is accurate and does not eliminate any significant steps.

In a 6 inch ceramic soup miska, (bowl) (must be exactly 6 inches or it is very difficult to control the taste) add your favorite tomato seeds (6 to 12 Seeds per bowl). Seeds should be kept in a dark, dry, and  cool location for at least 2 weeks before starting this process. I put the seeds in an ordinary, osnuc, (envelope), write the name of the seed on the envelope and place it in my garaz, (garage). Next add one quarter cup of virgin olive oil (you can use balsamic vinegar for a different but just as tasty result). Next add 1 teaspoon of coarse salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 1 quarter cup finely chopped basil (Thai basil works best), 1 eighth of a cup finely chopped oregano ( Mexican oregano is by far the best choice ) and for those who live life on the edge try some finely chopped hot peppers of your choice. Stir with a whisk gently for about 2 minutes making sure all seeds are completely covered. Cover the bowl and place in the lodowka, (refrigerator) for one and a half days. The bowl should be placed in the rear of the refrigerator so the opening and closing of the refrigerator door does not impact the temperature of the bowl. Although this cold stratification is not required, Prima Aprilis strongly recommends it for germination results. Plant the seeds directly in potting soil in a 4 inch pot and water when required. Soil should be moist not wet. Transplant to a gallon container before planting in your garden. Plant it deep if plant is over 10 inches tall. This will help with root growth and stabilize the plant.
I would suggest setting up multiple bowls each with different types of tomato seeds to see which ones you like best. Remember to label each plant variety and what ingredients you used.
​
Here’s a favorite of mine. Save about a quarter cup of bacon grease in the refrigerator. When ready, melt the bacon grease in a small pot and add three tablespoons of garlic oil, one teaspoon of sea salt, one tablespoon of coarse pepper and one tablespoon of onion salt.  Stir and add 12 roma tomato seeds. Follow same planting method as above. 
It is important to remember that this only works when you plant the seeds on the day after the last day in March.
​
Bon appetite!
Prima Aprilis
This process is currently being evaluated at the renowned French culinary college, Pesce D’aprile
Translate Prima Aprilis from Polish to English
Translate Pesce D'aprile College from French to English