Fresh Tomato Soup

from the kitchen of Jack & Sherry


8 or 9 tomatoes (skinned and chopped)
½ C butter
½ tsp soda
3 tsp salt
1 T sugar
1/8 tsp pepper
¼ C flour
1 quart half & half

Simmer tomatoes in large saucepan for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add in the butter, soda, sugar, and half & half (reserve 1 cup to mix with flour). Mix the flour with about 1 cup of the half and half, stir this into the soup. Put back on heat, heat the soup slowly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve as soon as soup is piping hot. If you want a thicker soup, add more flour.