it's tomato Time

 August brings about one delicious thing - ripe tomatoes.It;s' the season for them, whether grown on a farm or in the backyard.There are so many recipes for them,from tomatoes provencale to ratatouille.Which is the best? Here are some.

Regular contributor and chef Ali Salgle gave a few good recipes and tip in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section.She offers seven recipes that highlight flavor that can range from super sweet to even bland and bitter.One tip is to consider their size .She says tomatoes that resemble gumballs  like cherry grape and Sungolds will consistently be sweeter because of their small sizeThere is less space from water to dilute their flavor.They also have a higher peal to flesh ratio.This actually applies to larger tomatoes when they're cut into chunky wedges.They wont; turn mushy. Another must is amplify the acidity with lemon.In other words skip the vinegar in the dressing add lemon juice instead.This enhances the brightness of the tomatoes without being too overpowering.Also pair it with its' fellow fruit(u=yes tomatoes are a fruit)< Think peaches, pomegranates and melons to bring out the fruit's sweetness.In return the tomatoes acidity gives their sweetness a zing.Dairy also enhances a tomato's flavor.Think burrata or mozzarella. Ricotta ,Paremsan anc Cheddar also work well with any kind.

Can tomatoes be spices up or won;t that interfere with their taste? No! Ms Slagle recommends using chili crisp.Its' fatty, crunchy and spicy natures is a perfect foil to the tomatoes acidity.Salt cut tomatoes, letting their juice spill out onto a bowl or platter. Add the chili crispy for an oily, spiky burst of heat.Another idea is to grate them to emphasize  their deilciousness  according to fellow chef and Times writer Tejal Rao.Slice a large beefsteak in half and grate against the larger holes of a box grater.Sip it and add sugar or lemon  to bring out the g=flavor. Serve over bruschetta,.yogurt pasta and whatever else is tasty. Tomatoes can be baked low and slow too. Get rid of the moisture to produce a silly and savory slice This caramelizes the sugars inside and they can even be sticky . Ms.Slagle gives fours recipes perfect for the season.There is tomato and peach salad with whipped goat cheese along with an old fashioned tomato salad. A tasty lunch would be tomato cheddar toasts while dinner could be her tomato butter pasta. It's a great dish for early fall too.

Tomatoes are in season right now. Use these tips and recipes to use them  to their best advantage.They will bring out the tomatoes sweet flavors and silky texture.