Bumper crop of tomatoes

August is the hottest month in New York. It's that time of the year when things are really slow at work and people take long weekends to cool off at the beach. It's also the month when you taste the best of summer including all kinds of juicy tomatoes.

Greenmarket is overflowing with tomatoes in different colours, shapes and sizes. Thomas Jefferson first grew this fruit at Monticello (where he had an enviable vegetable garden) in 1781 and now it is America's third most popular produce after potato and lettuce!

The tomatoes I've used and am familiar with are tomatillo, vine-ripened, heirloom, beefsteak, cherry and plum. Tomatillos are great for salsa verde. I make a rustic panzanella salad from vine-ripened tomatoes. I enjoy heirloom tomatoes by themselves with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Beefsteak tomatoes are great for slow-roasting. I use plum tomatoes for different pasta dishes. But I love the cherry tomatoes best of all for their burst of juiciness in every bite.