General Discussion

@Lynne - thanks for the green tomatoes. I have a batch of indian spiced chutney on the go, will give you a yell in a day or so if you would like to pop down for a jar or two? Hope you enjoyed the Welsh Cakes? 

Anyone one else trading like for like? Give me a yell, if you have garden surplus. Only too happy to take them off your hands, and return some in a chutney / jam form, or maybe swap you for some home baking (fishing has been a little scarce of late) 

Your Welsh cakes were brill! Highly recommended.

On the matter of green tomatoes. In case anyone else had/has the problem I had - green tomatoes that just won't ripen - try putting them in a cardboard box with some very ripe bananas and cover in newspaper. Then put in the airing cupboard or somewhere similar. Check every so often and after a while the magic will happen - green will turn to red. 

(Took  a fortnight or so for mine to turn red). 

Thanks for the offer of the chutney.

Re ripening - yep, bananas will do it, as will apples (that can still be eaten, as opposed to the black bananas). All due to the gas; ethylene. But the fruits must be covered (as you say) in newspaper or cloth, which traps the ethylene. 

In the trade, I often used to 'bury' inripe avocados, mangoes & pawpaw in the rice bin to speed up thier softening. The rice traps the natural ethylene around the fruits, and quickens the ripening. Rice bin? Wht we chefs call the large containers (20+ kg) we use to keep rice, sugar, flour etc in) 

Chutney is ready & delicious, when you wantt some

(=|:-)