Here's the chow recipe(s) I talked about on the Green Tomatoes thread. Mum told me it's a simple recipe (it is) but there is a trick to it which can only be learned from someone with experience who can teach the trick over time. The trick is to be able to know how to adjust the quantities of onions, sugar, spice and vinegar according to the tomatoes. This can only be done when slicing the tomatoes due to the widely varying nature of green tomatoes. I asked Mum if she could describe the trick and she gave me that look and said, "No. You have to learn it and that could take years. Even then, sometimes you just don't know and have to hope it turns out."

Now, that may sound a little odd but Me Mere made chow for sale in her store. She had to make the best or lose business so she was very particular.

Here are my edited (shortened) versions of Me Mere's and Mum's recipes.

Me Mere's Chow

Soak 5# tomatoes sliced, 2# onions chopped, & 1 cup coarse salt in water to cover over night (4 hours is acceptable).

Drain and add 1 quart white vinegar and 4 tbsp pickling spice in cloth bag. Cook until tender. Add 1# white sugar and cook ten minutes.

Mum's Chow

6 quarts tomatoes, little less than 4 cups vinegar, 2.75 cups sugar. Same method.