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Tomatoes at the height of summer.

If you're new to this series, you can catch up at the Mostly Plants homepage, and check out the post Why Mostly Plants? for the inspiration behind the Mostly Plants name.

Tomato Season!

They're here, they're here! Juicy, ripe, delicious. Everywhere you look, tomatoes are showing off their gloriously red - or yellow, or orange, or purple, or green, or striped, or just funky-looking - plump goodness to our flip-flop-clad summer selves.

There's nothing like a perfectly ripe, perfectly in-season tomato, a plump little package of summer sunshine. And when we find them at the farmers' market or CSA (more about CSAs here), or our own backyard gardens, they are likely to be deliciously ripe and juicy. But when you're shopping at the grocery store, how do you know whether that tomato you're eyeing is going to be magnificent or mealy?

How to Choose a Good Tomato

First of all, shopping in-season helps. In most places, we have a much better chance of picking a winner in August than we will in January. Proximity to the farm also helps. Even in August, any given tomato might have traveled a thousand miles or more to get to our local produce aisle. Some stores now label produce with country or state of origin, so we have a better idea how far it traveled to make it into our cart. 

But does it really matter how far it traveled? Well, yes, actually, it turns out it does. To survive that long trip without spoiling, tomatoes are picked while still hard and green. Once picked, tomatoes don't continue to ripen. They may redden as they sit, but their flavor, water content (ie, juiciness), and nutrients won't develop any further. In In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan explains how absolute ripeness generally coincides with the greatest concentration of nutrients in a fruit (like a tomato), and whatever nutrients are present at the time of picking diminish as they age. So, the fresher your tomato, the more recent it was picked, and the juicier and tastier, and more nutritious, it will be. 

Once you have that tomato in hand, pay attention to how it feels. It should feel heavy for its size, and the skin should feel like it's been pulled tight across juicy, vibrant plumpness.

Celebrating Tomatoes

Once you've got your hands on some juicy, ripe tomatoes, do something special. You might celebrate their seasonal tomatoey goodness on a simple sandwich, with just a sprinkle of sea salt or Sumac and Sage seasoning, a drizzle of olive oil and maybe a schmear of fresh ricotta on a slice of baguette. Or, just eat one straight out of hand, juice dribbling down your arm. Or, make one of the recipes below, with fresh, in-season tomato goodness.

Tomato Recipes

Here are some of my favorite recipes to show off fresh tomatoes in season:

…and from 101 Ways to Use Sumac and Sage Seasoning:

Best spices to Pair with fresh tomatoes:

Sumac & Sage Seasoning is my own ready-to-go seasoning blend for fresh veggies and anything on the grill. Sprinkle on your tomato sandwich or tomato salad and keep things simple (and tasty).

Aleppo Pepper has a little heat and a lot of flavor. It’s a little smoky with some fruity notes, and it’s super versatile. Great tossed into your tomato salad or sprinkled on grilled tomatoes for a little punch and lots of flavor.

Next in this series: Lemons, Limes and Tasty Cold Summer Drinks

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