Why is the last of the season’s produce the best? It’s not because it is perfect in form or yield. In fact much of it constitutes the roughest looking goods the garden offers, buggy and imperfect. To our surprise, while ignoring our waning garden, we chanced upon a second round of tomatoes that refused to call it quits. We dismissed further canning efforts two weeks ago after a light first frost hit. The vines have since rebounded to the degree that we feel guilty walking past them. Guilt and vegetable gardens make for a bad combination.

Admittedly, the remaining tomatoes provide...