So many heirloom varieties at the markets right now, from the aforementioned tiny super sweet 100's, to Green Zebras, Pink Brandywines, Purple Cherokees, Mr. Stripeys, Fuzzy Peaches (yep, they are fuzzy), to the big Mortgage Lifters, just to name a few of the 7500 varieties (know globally) that you might find at your local farmers market.

Gratefully, tomatoes don't need much prep or cook time to really enjoy. Sliced and sprinkled with some salt, pepper, fresh basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and there's your salad for the evening meal. Or, with the aid of your blender or food processor and a few additional ingredients, gazpacho, for the perfect summer lunch or starter (man, those Spaniards were onto something when they came up with gazpacho). Any who doesn't love a tomato and bread combo? Be it tomatoes and mayo between two slices of white bread, or bruscetta or a panzanella salad? And all of this without having to cook a thing.

Look for tomatoes that are firm and smooth-skinned but have some give, and are split and blemish-free. Now when you get them home please, please, please whatever you do, do not even think about putting your tomatoes in the fridge where they will lose their flavor quickly and become mealy to boot. Back away from the fridge and store them, 'stem side' up at room temperature and in indirect light. Ripe tomatoes are good for a few days like this and if you have any that need a bit more ripening your are good for about a week. Past that, get ready to make and freeze some marinara sauce.

When I am feeling like something more 'cooked' but don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen, here is the perfect pasta with a 'no cook' summer tomato sauce.

1 lb spaghetti, bucati or linguine pasta

1 lb. mix of heirloom cherry or grape varieties of tomatoes (cut each in half)

2-3 cloves of garlic sliced thin

3-4 T fresh basil chopped (or mix a variety of summer herbs like marjoram, parsley, thyme or oregano)

2-3 T extra virgin olive oil

Salt (sea or kosher) & cracked black pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Return pot to a medium temperature burner. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the sliced garlic (kick it up a bit more and add a pinch of chili flakes as well) and cook until tender. Turn off the burner. Add the pasta back into the pot of garlic and olive oil. Toss together until pasta is coated. Add the tomatoes and an additional tablespoon of olive oil and toss. The tomatoes will begin to 'cook'. Add the chopped herbs and salt and pepper. If the pasta is seeming a bit 'dry' for your liking, stir in some of the reserved pasta water. Plate the pasta and then top with freshly grated parmesan cheese. And there's dinner.

P.S. for a variation, a bit of crumbled bacon zings this dish up nicely.