from Andie "<tomatoes> ripen after being unwrapped and set on a sunny windowsill for a few days ... keep onions, apples and bananas far away from the fruits I have stored because all of these will hasten ripening" -- an apple in a paper bag with a green tomato will redden it, nightshades don't need sun nor windowsills to ripen...and, no, the tomato doesn't "get the idea" from the apple...<grin> from Roger "dedicated Tabasco sauce users for years" I remember when people would describe the length of their marriages in terms of Tabasco - "married so long we're on our second bottle of Tabasco" finally, Byron's point about maximizing "end of season" tomato production is well taken here, except I do it to increase the size of green tomatoes for salsa and "Fried Greens" an addition to Dave's Spartan fried green tomato recipe: (modified by me) Paul Prudhomme's Kentucky Fried Green Tomatoes and Cream Gravy SEASONINGS 1 tsp salt 1.5 tsp dry mustard 1 tsp white pepper 1 tsp garlic pwdr 1 tsp (or more) ANCHO or other chile pwdr (I've enjoyed guajillo and Chipotle too) 1 tsp dried sweet basil 0.5 tsp black pepper 0.5 tsp onion powder 0.5 tsp grnd coriander 0.25 tsp grnd nutmeg * * * * * 3/4 cup all purpose flour 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal 0.5 tsp salt 14 - 18 slices of VERY hard, VERY green tomatoes (sliced about 1/3 inch thick) 8+ slices bacon, diced 1 cup vegetable oil (I use olive) 1 cup chicken stock 1.5 cups heavy cream 6 English muffins Combine seasonings in small bowl, mix well Combine flour and cornmeal in small bowl, add .5 tsp salt and one heaping tablespoon of seasoning mix, blend well. Sprinkle one side only of tomato slices with seasoning mix (total of one heaping tablespoon for all slices) Fry the bacon on high for 3 minutes, reduce heat to medium cook till bacon is brown and crisp, remove with slotted spoon. Pour off fat, reserve 1/4 cup. Heat reserved bacon drippings with the cup of oil. High heat, very hot. Dredge tomato slices in combined flour/cornmeal mix ... Reserve leftover flour. Fry green tomatoes in hot oil, turning twice, about ten minutes. Select best looking 12 fried slices, chop others (2 or 4). Add 3 tablespoons of seasoned flour/cornmeal mixture to the oil remaining in the skillet. Whisk about 3 minutes. Add the chopped green tomatoes, the stock, the bacon. Whisk for 2 minutes. Add cup of cream and remaining seasoning mix, cook, whisking for 3 more minutes. Whisk in remaining 1/2 cup of cream and remove from heat. Toast the muffin halves, place a slice on each, cover with gravy. An artery clogger, but a real American classic. Gareth the ChileKnight