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At last, fresh local tomatoes are ready, though they're about two weeks later than usual because of the cool, wet summer. Look for homegrown varieties, especially heirlooms, which are grown from ancient seeds. My favourite are the purplish Brandywine and the elegant green, striped Zebra. Though they often come in odd shapes and colours, their taste and juiciness can't be beaten.

Buy different kinds and see what you like best. Farmer's markets are the best source, but some supermarkets carry them too.

Never refrigerate tomatoes as it robs them of flavour. Eshun, my recipe tester, has this a handy tip to avoid the inevitable fruit flies: Place some balsamic vinegar and a chunk of tomato and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Slash a few holes with the tip of a small knife and leave it on the counter beside your tomatoes. The fruit flies fly in through the holes and then can't get out. It works beautifully.

ALLISON'S TOMATO PIZZA

My good friend Allison Budd made this pizza for us when we visited her in Kelowna, B.C. You can bake it or serve it unbaked like a big bruschetta. Either way it's scrumptious.

What you need

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup chopped basil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1½ pounds local field tomatoes

1 pre-baked pizza base6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

what you do

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Combine garlic, olive oil and basil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Core tomatoes and slice thickly.

Brush pizza base with garlic oil. Place tomatoes in circles around base. Brush with more oil. Sprinkle with goat cheese. Drizzle with more oil and season with salt and pepper.

Bake pizza for 20 minutes or until cheese has melted and tomatoes are hot. Serves 4.

Barbecued TOMATOES

These are Toronto chef Mark McEwan's famous barbecued tomatoes that he serves at family barbecues. They are delicious on their own or as a side dish for any kind of meat off the grill.

what you need

2 medium-sized, ripe tomatoes

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon chopped garlic

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

what you do

Core and cut tomatoes in half. Combine olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and thyme leaves. Brush over tomatoes. Grill over medium heat beginning with the cut side down, until slightly charred on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Tomatoes should almost be molten. Serves 2.

GAZPACHO

My mother loved gazpacho and every summer when the tomatoes were ripe she would make this version. I like it because it is a true Spanish version using sherry and sherry vinegar. It requires no cooking and it produces a soup that is refreshing and tasty. Make sure your tomatoes are really ripe for the best soup.

what you need

2 cups English cucumber, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped

4 cups fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped

½ red pepper, diced

½ yellow or orange pepper, diced

1 teaspoon chopped jalapeno pepper

2 tablespoons sherry or brandy

¼ cup sherry vinegar

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

½ cup chopped Spanish onion

3 tablespoons olive oil

Hot pepper sauce

Salt to taste

Garnish:

1 cup croutons

½ cup chopped cucumber

¼ cup chopped red onion

2 tablespoons chopped coriander

what you do

Place cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, sherry, sherry vinegar, garlic, onion and olive oil in food processor or blender. Purée until smooth but still with a little texture. Taste and season with pepper sauce and salt if necessary. Chill for at least 4 hours. Place garnishes in small bowls and let guests help themselves. Serves 6.

TOMATO AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

This simple tomato salad looks as beautiful as it tastes. I recommend using a firm, not soft, goat cheese. We used the French log called Rondon du Poitou, but any kind will do. Note that the vinaigrette is also made with tomatoes.

what you need

Vinaigrette:

½ cup cherry tomatoes, seeded

½ teaspoon ground coriander seed

¼ cup olive oil

2 teaspoons chopped basil

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Salad:

4 medium heirloom or other tomatoes

8 ounces aged goat cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper

12 basil leaves

what you do

Combine vinaigrette ingredients and purée in food processor or blender until smooth. Reserve.

Use a serrated knife to slice tomatoes as thinly as possible. Cut goat cheese into 8 slices and place one slice on each of 4 plates.

Drizzle some vinaigrette over the goat cheese. Top each slice of cheese with a few slices of tomato and drizzle with a little vinaigrette. Place a second slice of goat cheese and a few more slices of tomato on top. Drizzle with more vinaigrette. Arrange basil leaves around the salad, and decorate plate with any leftover vinaigrette. Serves 4.