Varieties offered by Holders Farm of Bakersfield at the Bakersfield Farmers’ Market (8 a.m. to noon Saturdays, Golden State Mall) include Celebrity (red), Orange Blossom (orange) and Taxi (yellow) – plus an unripe green tomato for a little color. Photo by Jennifer Baldwin

Slightly wind beaten but ripe nonetheless, apricots can be found in abundance at the Bakersfield Farmers’ Market, such as these sold by K&K Farms of Kerman. Photo by Jennifer Baldwin

By Michelle Beck

Tomatoes and apricots are such quintessential summer foods, they deserve their own column. My apricots are turning orange, my tomato plants are covered with green and red tomatoes, and I can barely contain my glee when I go out to check on them!

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are very easy to grow in Bakersfield. But if you don’t have your own plants, and don’t have anyone to share with you, at least try to buy tomatoes at the farmer’s market. I really can’t recommend grocery store tomatoes.

Tomato growers are an opinionated bunch, and often disagree on the best way to handle tomatoes. In my opinion, tomatoes should never be picked under-ripe and brought inside to ripen. I don’t think they taste as good, but I also think there’s nothing better than a ripe, sun-warmed tomato direct from the garden. I don’t refrigerate tomatoes, because I think it makes them mealy.

My favorite summertime breakfast involves a trip outside to pick tomatoes and basil. I scramble some eggs with the chopped fresh basil and some garlic, then top with chopped tomatoes and feta cheese. It is wonderful.

My favorite summertime lunch involves another trip outside to pick more tomatoes. (I have seven tomato plants, all different shapes and colors.) I slice them and place them on a plate with slices of fresh mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella is the soft, mild variety usually sold packaged in water, although I’ve seen some packaged in a tube shape. I top it with slivers of fresh basil, garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. If I could ever find decent gluten-free French bread, I’d have that on the side.  Side note: I am so delighted that fresh mozzarella has become more popular, because it has become very easy to find! Trader Joe’s has it in different shapes, but it can also be found in other grocery stores and even at Costco.

Another great tomato lunch is bruschetta with tomato and basil on a Pyranees baguette. It really is best on Pyranees, and not some inferior bread.

This caprese salad with basil vinaigrette is beautiful, and would make an impressive meal for guests. Skim through the blog to find the recipe – there are lots of great pictures showing how to assemble it.

This summertime no-bake lasagna or this tomato-garlic spaghetti are light dinners that don’t require heating up the kitchen.

Of course, tomatoes are terrific in salsa, such as this pico de gallo.

No summer is complete without at least one BLT. I think they are best on toasted Pyranees bread with several pieces of bacon, a thick slice of tomato straight from the garden, some crunchy lettuce, plenty of mayo (never Miracle Whip – shudder!) and yellow mustard. Since I discovered I am gluten-intolerant, I have to avoid the bread, so I make a BLT salad, which is also good.

Different tomato recipes abound. Try this cherry tomato salad, or this sweet corn and tomato salad. (The recipe is at the end of the blog entry. It is very good.)

Another refreshing meal is this gazpacho from the Pioneer Woman.

This corn, tomato and black bean salad would be great on its own for a light dinner. Try this sweet and sour tomato salad or this cherry tomato relish, which calls for oregano and green chilies.

I grow Juliet tomatoes, a small Roma, in order to make my own sun-dried tomatoes. They keep well stored in a zippered bag in the freezer. They are good tossed into salads or mixed into other recipes. They are also good in this sun-dried tomato pesto. Drying tomatoes is very easy. I made a frame by stapling screen to a square made of 2-by-2 lumber. I slice the tomatoes, then arrange them on top of the screen. I cover this with a second piece of screen to keep bugs out. I set the screen on top of a card table and place it in the sun. The 2-by-2s allow air to circulate under the tomatoes. I let them dry some, then turn them over. It is usually a two-day process, but the tomatoes dry even faster when the weather is really hot.

Apricots

If you don’t have a tree of your own, you may want to plant one, or cultivate a friendship with someone who does, because apricots are best straight from the tree. Apricots are soft when ripe and spoil quickly, so commercial growers usually pick them early to avoid spoilage. In my opinion, this affects the flavor. I admit, I am more than a little particular about my apricots, but they are my favorite fruit, so I think I am justified.

Apricots are ripe when they easily come off the tree. You should not have to tug at all. I try to pick mine right before I use them. I don’t like to put them in the refrigerator because I think it ruins the flavor. Apricots are wonderful in many recipes, and if you have a tree, you may need to try them all, so as not to waste any fruit.

The first thing I do when I have ripe apricots is make jam. Apricot jam is my favorite, and I don’t like store-bought, because I’ve found it is too sweet and flavorless. My Noni always put a little pineapple in her apricot jam, so I do the same. I use the Sure-Jel in the pink box, and substitute crushed pineapple (packed in juice, not syrup, with the juice drained off) for about one cup of the fruit.

Apricots are great in a traditional pie or this traditional open-faced tart. For something different, try broiled apricots with ginger whipped cream.

Apricot muffins would be nice at a brunch, or as an afternoon snack.

Apricots are great in salsa, such as this recipe or this one that includes apricots and nectarines. Apricot chutney is good on chicken.

The California apricot people have compiled an extensive list of apricot recipes, including ice cream and stuffed chicken.

I love dried apricots, and looked into making my own, but from what I have read, it is more complicated than it might seem. It looked like spoilage was an issue, so I didn’t pursue it further. If you have had success home-drying apricots, I’d love to hear about it!

If you still have any apricots left after trying all of these recipes, you can freeze them for later. Simple cut them in half, arrange them on a cookie sheet, and store them in a zippered bag after freezing, They are great in smoothies or over ice cream and yogurt.

Cheesemaking

If you would like to make your own fresh mozzarella cheese, visit Ricki the Cheese Queen at www.cheesemaking.com. I have the 30 Minute Mozzarella kit, and it is very easy to use. Children would probably enjoy the process, and learn a little science in the process. The cheese mixture is probably too hot for small children to handle on their own, however, so parental supervision is definitely required.

Gluten-free adaptable recipes

The Steamy Kitchen blog, which features the recipes above for the awesome Caprese salad and no-bake lasagna, also has a list of gluten-free adaptable recipes.