Tomatoes | In Season

The tomato is a relative latecomer to the American table, the product of a meandering journey from its native South America through Europe and back to the Americas. Along the way, it was met with suspicion: A member of the nightshade family, it was assumed to be poisonous and used only as an ornamental plant. It wasn’t until the early 1800s that tomatoes were commonly considered a foodstuff in America, with recipes beginning to be published in newspapers.

As Americans came to appreciate the joy of summer-ripe Golden Queens and Brandywines, heirloom varieties began to proliferate. But then along came refrigerated train cars that could ship underripe specimens from Florida (where about 90 percent of winter tomatoes are still grown) to restaurants and supermarkets. The difference between an in-season, sun-ripened summer tomato and one picked when it’s still green and hard as a tennis ball is so stark that the two may as well be separate species. The former is so sweet and yielding, it’s no stretch to understand that, botanically speaking, this so-called vegetable is actually a fruit. The latter? Well, it’s usually pink, mealy, and watery at its worst, and mildly acidic at its best.

So dire is the prospect of out-of-season tomato eating that when chef Tony Maws was creating the burger that became the sleeper hit of his Cambridge, Massachusetts, restaurant, Craigie on Main, he allowed no tomato slices between the buns beyond early fall, when the local season ended. Today, Backyard Farms, the massive greenhouse operation in Madison, Maine, has improved our winter tomato prospects considerably, but still… there’s good reason to see tomatoes as one of the highlights of the summer table.

And here we are! In peak tomato season, it’s enough of a treat to head to the garden for one ripe specimen, heavy in the hand, and return to the kitchen to eat it sliced with salt and pepper. Add a few basil slices and fresh mozzarella, and call it a meal. But there’s a whole world of tomato cookery beyond slice-and-serve. Here are some of our best recipes (including a few favorite salads).

	Tomato and Basil Breakfast Pie Savory and cheesy, this tomato and basil breakfast pie makes an elegant brunch dish and tastes wonderful warm or at room temperature.
	Fresh Tomato & Strawberry Salsa We’ve tried mango and peach salsa, so we thought, why not strawberry? With their tart sweetness, strawberries complement tomatoes in a surprising way in this fresh tomato and strawberry salsa.
	Fresh Tomato Sauce Straight-from-the-garden summer sauce is a welcome addition to your spaghetti dinner.
	Broiled Tomatoes Using breadcrumbs flavored with shallot, fresh herbs, and Parmesan, these stuffed and broiled tomatoes are an elegant way to enjoy a classic tomato dish.
	Heirloom Tomato Salad with Halloumi In this heirloom tomato salad, pan-seared slabs of cheese pair with tomatoes to make a deliciously simple summer dish. For an even heartier main course, add grilled chicken or shrimp.
	Quinoa Salad with Tomato & Basil Gluten-free and high in protein, quinoa is a great way to add rich nutrients and fiber to your diet. Added flavors of basil, lemon, tomato, and edamame blend beautifully.

	Braised Eggplant with Onion & Tomato This braised eggplant dish is a terrific way to use fresh vegetables from the garden, but it’s also hearty enough to serve as a wintertime side dish.
	Slow-Roasted Beef Brisket with Garlic-Tomato-Fennel Sauce Served with a flavorful garlic, tomato, and fennel sauce, this low-and-slow classic barbecued beef brisket recipe is a darned good cut of meat.
	Steamed Mussels with Garlic, Tomatoes, and Green Onions You’ve never tasted mussels quite like this before.
	Potato-Tomato Tart with Aged Gouda Rich and oh-so-good, this seasonal favorite is a perfect brunch addition.
	Verrill’s Corn and Tomato Tart From one of Massachusetts’s favorite family farms to your plate.
	Tomato Salad with Watermelon & Mozzarella This tomato salad with watermelon and mozzarella eats like a meal and is a delicious, substantial celebration of summer flavors that requires just a handful of ingredients and minimal prep time.

As Yankee’s senior food editor, Amy Traverso oversees the magazine’s food department and contributes to NewEngland.com. She’s also the cohost of Yankee’s TV series with WGBH, Weekends with Yankee, and the author of The Apple Lover’s Cookbook (W.W. Norton), which won an International Association of Culinary Professionals cookbook award in the “American” category.