Preserving Traditions with Nannie’s Tomato Preserves

Mom has often talked about Nannie’s red tomato preserves and how she made them every summer. She remembers how delicious they were on a hot cathead biscuit; for her, it is a treasured childhood memory. I love it when Mom starts talking about her childhood and how her Mama did things. Nannie killed her own chickens for Sunday dinner, and they had fresh milk every morning from the cow Papaw milked; practically everything Mom grew up eating was off her parent’s land. Mom carried that tradition and raised Anne and me on the food she and Dad grew.  I remember all Mom did to preserve food when we were kids, and I’m thankful every day that I was raised around strong women who understood the land and how to live off it. 

Anne, Mom, and I decided this was the year to start canning tomato preserves. It was a first for Anne and me but a tradition I wanted us to continue. So one day this past summer, Mom pulled Nannie’s handwritten recipe out, I gathered the tomatoes, and we decided to give it a go! 

As I peeled the tomatoes, Mom told stories of Nannie canning with no air conditioner,  standing in a dress slip over a hot canner, and making jars and jars of food they would enjoy for months.

It was a way of life. Mom did the same thing when we were kids. Again, there was no air conditioner, and she was in cutoffs jeans, sweating over a hot canner preparing food. There is just something so wistful about that time.  Unfortunately, Anne and I never carried that on. Now that we are in our forties,  I really need to learn those skills to carry these things on for myself. 

We told Mom we wanted her to instruct us on how to do it since this was new for me and Anne.  She let us at it. Mom stood behind Anne and me as she told us precisely what to do. I couldn’t help but think about all the times Mom has stood behind me and Anne, teaching us how to do things, there to help when we need it.  I’m forever grateful for these moments and lessons.  I appreciate that I can now take the time to be IN THEM and cherish them for what they truly are…..preserving family traditions. Traditions aren’t just for going through the motions; they help preserve family history and show respect for our ancestor’s way of life. To me, it tells the ones that have gone before us they mattered. That their contributions were important, meaningful, and real. If I could talk to Nannie today, I would thank her for how she chose to live her life because it still impacts mine today. Her legacy is strong. Thank you, Nannie.

Here is Nannie’s Tomato Preserves recipe!

This article was originally published in our Fall 2023 magazine.

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