Does anything epitomize summer quite like a perfect tomato? With vivid coloring that can range from bright yellow to deep red, neon green to a deep purple that almost borders on black, a great summer tomato is heavy at first and firm to the touch, with smooth taut skin. It's fragrant with crisp, almost floral notes. One bite, and it's a mess of perfection, juicy enough to require a stack of napkins, but so delicious it doesn't even matter.

For tips on using summer tomatoes, along with six recipes (savory galette, chilled soup, simple tomato sauce and more), check out my story here.