Green tomatoes tasty

Question: I'm getting ready to pick the last of the tomatoes from the garden, and many are still green. Do you have any suggestions about how to use them?

Answer: Plucked from the vine before fall frosts can damage them, green tomatoes can be either ripened indoors or eaten right away. Both options can yield delicious results. If you choose to ripen them indoors, however, your green tomatoes must be mature. Take a look at the blossom end of the plant — if it has a pink or reddish tinge, the tomatoes are mature. Or simply pick a tomato and cut it. Immature green fruits are easy to cut. Mature tomatoes are not and have jellylike yellow insides.

If your tomatoes are immature, buy a little extra time in the garden by insulating the plants. Cover them in the evening with burlap, cardboard boxes or an old sheet. With this protection, the tomatoes will continue to grow safely and should withstand one or two light frosts.

To ripen mature green tomatoes after picking, wash, dry and then wrap them lightly in a sheet of newspaper. Place them in a shallow box or tray, no more than two layers deep, and store in a dark, dry place such as a basement, closet or garage. Keep the room temperature between 55 degrees and 65 degrees, and check the ripening process once a week. After about a month they will be red and nearly as tasty as the vine-ripened kind.

You can also eat green fruits as they are. Their tangy flavor lends itself to pickling. Plenty of good recipes are available — but sure to take safety precautions if you decide to can the pickles for long-term storage.

You can also offset the sharp taste of green tomatoes by sauteing them in butter, broiling them with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese or stewing them with garlic. Or try the favorite cooking method of the South: Dredge in yellow cornmeal, season with salt and pepper, and fry them in a bit of oil. The result is tangy, crunchy and delicious.

Question: Can I clean store-bought pillows in the washing machine?

Answer: Whether made of natural fibers (such as down) or synthetic materials (often polyester), most pillows can be washed in the machine. They should be cleaned every three to six months to remove mold, bacteria and odors. Read instructions on the tag to make sure the pillow is not dry-clean only.