They’re such a constant in our cooking, it’s easy to forget how incredibly good tomatoes can be – and that they really only taste their best in summer. 

I think a lot of people have the wrong idea about tomatoes. Because they’re a standard feature in ubiquitous, all-year-long dishes (I’m thinking a slice in a burger or toastie, a handful chopped into a green salad), we expect tomatoes on demand, all the time, for a reasonable price.

That means some people freak out when tomatoes are unavailable or expensive in winter, crying that it’s the end of days. This year is worse than usual due to inflation and major labour shortages, but the enduring reality is that tomatoes are a summer fruit which need long days of sunlight or expensive artificial lighting to grow. They just don’t grow naturally in winter, and greenhouse vegetables are expensive to produce.

As a side note, I don’t understand why someone would want a winter tomato, anyway. Their skin looks like milk, and they taste watery and grainy.

So hooray, it’s tomato season! The beauties have arrived, not watery and pale but gleaming and colourful and sweet. All hail the shiny red (or orange, or green) herald of summer.

Where to find them

Everywhere! If you’re lucky, you’ll soon be plucking ’em fresh off a vine in your garden. The tomato is the training wheels vegetable for new gardeners, and while it’s a little late to begin planting them this summer, they do well in a veggie patch, big pot, or even a large bucket.

Otherwise, you can find dozens of varieties in supermarkets, grocers and vege markets. Cherry tomatoes, strawberry tomatoes, Roma, vine, heirloom, truss – they’re all over the place.

Loose tomatoes are currently $8.49/kg at Countdown, $7.99/kg at New World, and $6.99/kg at Pak’nSave. For a punnet of cherry tomatoes, you’re looking at $3.99 from Pak’nSave, $4.99 from New World, and a quite horrendous $5.90 at Countdown. The tomato winner here is clear – and it isn’t the Countdown shopper.

How to make them terrible

I repeat: by buying out of season, milk-skin tomatoes. Just flush that tomato fever out of your system over winter, and find fun alternatives instead. Orange pieces or pear slices in your green salad. A big heap of cabbage and carrot slaw in your burger. Canned tomatoes for your salsa or tomato soup.

How to make a good tomato terrible? I personally experience a full-body cringe when I see someone bite into a tomato like it’s an apple, but that’s just preference / neurosis. In general, you’re pretty safe when it comes to a ripe tomato.

How to make them amazing

This is a bit silly, because we all know how to use a fresh tomato – stick it in a sandwich, chuck it in a salad. But here are some of my favourite fresh tomato-based dishes.

Caprese salad. Slices of ripe tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, a swirl of good olive oil, a grind of salt and pepper. Maybe a few basil leaves. Is this summer perfection? Maybe.

Fresh tomato salsa. My go-to recipe is really quick, easy and never lets me down – diced tomatoes and brown onion, chopped coriander, a very generous squeeze of lemon or lime juice, and a big pinch of salt. Fresh sliced chilli, if there’s some lying around. Mix and leave to soak together for about 20 minutes, and then serve with corn chips, tacos, chilli con carne, nachos, enchiladas – whatever Mexican dish you fancy. If no one’s looking, I’ll sometimes even sip the leftover sour, salty juice that’s left behind.

Sliced tomatoes and hummus (or even better, homemade babaganoush) on toasted Vogels, drizzled with olive oil, topped with a basil leaf, and sprinkled with salt and pepper. I could eat that for breakfast all summer long.

Halved cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, and plenty of fresh herbs sautéed in melted butter until popped and gooey, then tossed with spaghetti.

Gazpacho – chilled, raw tomato soup – served with plenty of chewy, crusty bread and olive oil.

Whatever you do, remember that tomatoes – no matter how ripe, juicy and sweet – are a tiny bit boring all on their lonesome. Olive oil, salt, and pepper are their dedicated friends, and they’re best when they’re together.

Wyoming Paul’s startup Grossr has just released a Christmas menu by Michael Meredith, with recipes, cooking videos, ingredient lists, and a preparation guide.