AH, TOMATOES:WELCOMING ONE OF THE SIMPLE AND SIMPLY GREAT TASTES OF SUMMER

What they call tomatoes can be purchased year-round, but the tomatoes with

great taste arrive in midsummer.

If you have a small farm, a garden or even a clay pot or two, you know that

tomatoes were late this year. Blame a cool, wet spring.

In the past week, however, ripe, locally grown tomatoes began arriving at

farmers' markets and in brown paper bags carried by friends and co-workers.

It's difficult to mess up a ripe, fresh tomato. It tastes great all by

itself, and it gets even better with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic

vinegar, shreds of basil, perhaps a few slices of mozzarella.

It's all good, and -- like summer itself -- it doesn't last forever. So,

enjoy.

There are many reasons that people enjoy living in Sonoma County, and one

of them is a farming tradition that brings us fresh fruits and vegetables,

including something as simple and old-fashioned and delicious as a home-grown

tomato.