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but with some give; they should also have a mildly acrid smell at the stem. If you buy tomatoes with the stem still attached, don’t be fooled: woody, hard stems still most likely mean the tomatoes were picked green and allowed to ripen off the vine. Store fresh tomatoes in a dark, cool place; use within a day or two of purchase. Never refrigerate tomatoes—the cold will turn off the flavor esters, which will never turn back on.

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Seeding Tomatoes

We don’t seed tomatoes—except in the most fussy preparations. First, the better your tomatoes, the fewer the seeds. Second, there’s a lot of flavor in those seeds and the juice around them.

However, some people have trouble digesting the seeds or insist on pitch-perfect aesthetics. If you want to seed tomatoes, cut them in half at the equator and gently squeeze them, cut side down, over a bowl, thereby pushing out the seeds and the pulp. You may also have to run your finger with some chambers to dislodge stubborn seeds.

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Tomato, Wax Bean, and Olive Salad

For this salad, the best balsamic is a syrupy one, aged at least three years. Makes 6 servings

¾ pound wax beans, cut into 1-inch lengths

1¼ pounds tomatoes, seeded and cut into a 1-inch dice

6 tablespoons green olives, preferably fat, juicy Spanish olives, pitted and sliced

2 medium shallots, sliced into thin rings

1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the beans, cook for 1 minute, then drain in a colander set in the sink and refresh with cool water until room temperature. Drain well and transfer to a large serving bowl.

Add the tomatoes, olives, and shallots; toss well.

Whisk the vinegar, salt, sugar, and pepper in a small bowl; slowly whisk in the olive oil. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to serve.

Variations: Substitute green beans for the wax beans.

Substitute peeled asparagus for the wax beans; blanch for 2 minutes.

Substitute 3 scallions, thinly sliced, for the shallots.

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Can’t get enough tomatoes? Check out the Roasted Tomato Soup and the various chilled tomato soups in the soup chapter. Or, of course, peruse the chapter on Pasta and Noodles, starting on section Pasta and Noodles.

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Chopped Summer Salad

The fresh taste of summer is enhanced by the spark of a bar staple: Angostura bitters. Look for it in the drink aisle at your supermarket. For the best presentation, make sure the vegetables are all cut to the same overall size. Makes 6 servings

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons chopped dill fronds or 1 teaspoon dried dill

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra virgin olive oil

2 to 6 dashes of Angostura bitters (see Note)

8 large radishes, cut into a ¾-inch dice

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into a ¾-inch dice

1 large yellow summer squash, cut into a ¾-inch dice

Whisk the vinegar, dill, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large serving bowl. Whisk in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream, then whisk in the bitters.

Add the radishes, cucumbers, and squash. Toss well before serving.

Note: Add only a couple of drops of the bitters the first time to see if you like its edge.

Variations: Substitute sherry vinegar or champagne vinegar for the white wine vinegar.

Substitute stemmed thyme for the dill.

Reduce the radishes to 4 and add 3 medium scallions, thinly sliced.

Asian Sugar Snap Salad

Sugar snaps have a tough vein running along the concave edge. To remove it, hold the stem and zip the thread off the casing. Makes 8 servings

2 pounds sugar snap peas, fibrous stems zipped off

1½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1½ tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the sugar snaps and cook until snap-tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain in a colander set in