Tomatoes just take you back. Slicing into a ripe, homegrown tomato is as close as you’ll find to the feeling of lunchtime on a summer afternoon. The scent of sweet-yet-tangy tomato juice and the satisfying bite of a perfectly ripe slice – you can’t manufacture that taste. Tomatoes will take their time, but you better be ready when they are because those beauties wait for no one.

Rarely do you find a savory food so readily edible and, boy, do they know it? If you’ve ever grown your own tomatoes, you might understand why it’s so easy to speak of tomatoes as a hard-to-get sort of character. Months of tending the plant, watching the dramatic reactions to sunlight and water, and all but camping out by any fruit that yields – this dedication creates a bond that reminds us that love isn’t easy but it’s worth it.

Perhaps tomatoes have scorned you one too many times? If tomato plants are out of the question for your garden this year, there’s hope for you yet. The farmers of the Dallas Farmers Market have the patience of saints and have gorgeous tomatoes to show for it. Tomatoes are nearly falling off the vine with flavor as the summer sun sets in, so now is the ideal time to stock up! Enjoy them fresh, slice and freeze for later, and can them in sauces or salsas for a yearlong supply of summer’s simple pleasures. See you for our Tasty Tomatoes day in The Shed this Saturday!