Tomato fat is my favorite type of schmaundt fat. By the time I was 14, Green Valley School and I had had enough of each other. Well, to be honest, I loved going to school, and I’d try to always show up. But they didn’t appreciate that I was just coming to hang out, and not to learn. That in itself is a long story, one for another day. So by the time that I was 14, it was my second year in grade 8, (also, another story for another day). Finally the school decided to kick me out for good. But because I was only 14, I was legally not allowed to not go to school. So due to the fact that the teachers didn’t want to deal with me in school, they made an arrangement with my foster brother-in-law, a hog farmer, that I would work on the farm for the rest of the year, and if I showed up and did a good job, they’d pass me and I’d go to grade 9 (which meant that I’d be attending a different school). So I started going to work.
Wednesdays and Fridays were always long days because we had to drive to a barn in Altona. Fridays I’d have to get up at 4:30 in the morning and would be picked up by 5:00. And some days, I’d only get back home well after 8:00 at night. Regardless of what time I’d come home on those super long days, my foster mother would always have 1 placemat set on the table with a plate, fork and cup of water, and a casserole dish filled with farmer sausage, macaroni, and tomato fat. If it was a Wednesday night, she’d have it in the oven, keeping warm because she was at bible study. But on Friday nights, she would be home, and she would sit across the table from me, and we would talk about our day, and she would watch me eat.
And those are some of the last memories that I have of living with her.
So what tomato fat is, is instead of frying onions and making the schmaunt fat with them, you’re frying tomatoes.
You’ll need 473 ml of heavy cream, 1/4 cup of butter, 3 tablespoons of flour, a tomato, salt and pepper to taste.
Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Add the chopped tomato and fry until the tomato is soft and rendered down.
Add 3 tablespoons of flour and whisk continuously until it is thick and consistent.
Slowly add the cream while continuing to whisk the gravy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Whisk continuously on medium heat until the gravy begins to boil and starts to get thick. Remove from heat.
Serve and enjoy!
- 473 ml of Heavy Cream
- 1/4 cup Butter
- 3 Tbsp Flour
- 1 Tomato, chopped
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a saucepan on medium heat.
- Once the butter is melted, add the chopped tomato and continue to fry until the tomato is soft and rendered down.
- Add 3 tablespoons of flour and whisk continuously until it is thick and consistent.
- Slowly add the cream while continuing to whisk the gravy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Whisk continuously on medium heat until the gravy begins to boil and starts to get thick. Remove from heat.
- Serve and enjoy!
Very interesting! I have NEVER heard of tomato fat! I think I would like it, but doubt that the rest of my family would like the tomato in it.
I enjoy hearing your stories!
2 things stood out to me in that story: (1) that school should’ve tried harder with you & I’m sorry that they did not, & (2) your foster Mom loved & cared for you, & you for her.
My BIL was just teaching my son the other day to make farmers sausage schmaun fatte & kiekle — they both had big smiles on their faces, which made me happy & also proud both to see my son ask & to see my BIL passing on such integral skills to keep our culture alive in the next generation.
Is this Green Valley School in Grunthal MB?
Lol yes it is