Tomato season is finally underway in Maine, a godsend to passionate cooks and foodies who’ve waited for months on end for one of the truest tastes of summer.

Earlier this month, only a few farmers had tomatoes ready for market. Farms like Goranson Farm in Dresden and Jillson’s Farm in Sabattus grow their field tomatoes under protective plastic tunnels so they can harvest them sooner than Mother Nature would normally allow. “People are still staring at green tomatoes in their gardens right now,” Goranson said in mid-July. The tunnels also help extend tomato season for Maine farmers.

We staked out farmers markets in Portland and Falmouth on a recent Wednesday – the very front end of the season– to get an idea of what Mainers (and some tourists) plan to do with their tomatoes this summer. Some told us they liked them cooked into pies and tarts. Others planned to stew them into ratatouille or simmer them down into an intense sofrito.

Another faction of tomato lovers wouldn’t dream of cooking with them. They believe the sweet-tart yet meaty taste of a farm-fresh tomato in peak season would be muted by cooking, and masked by other flavors in the pot. These folks are all about basic preparations that let the fresh tomato shine: think simple tomato sandwiches on white bread with just mayo, salt and pepper, or fresh, lightly dressed veggie salads.

Scott Jillson of Jillson’s Farm said he sees more of the raw tomato proponents at the start of the season. “Usually the first tomatoes, people don’t cook with them,” he said. “They really just use them to eat. They’re so sick of the tasteless tomatoes in the grocery store.”

Whether you’re in the cooked or raw camp, you can find inspiration in these shoppers’ ideas. If you don’t have firm plans, try one of the accompanying recipes, featuring both approaches – one for a baked gratin, the other for a fresh bruschetta topping.

Alexis Mullen and Giancarlo DeLaRosa, Portland

“I’m making gazpacho. It’s my first time making it,” said Alexis Mullen as she gathered tomatoes and other vegetables. She said she found recipes online to guide her. “I just got the urge today. I was like, ‘It’s really hot, I want to make a cold soup with fresh veggies.'”

Her friend, Giancarlo DeLaRosa, was helping her shop. As far as his go-to uses for fresh tomatoes, DeLaRosa said he’s partial to making scrambled eggs with tomatoes and onion. “The tomatoes keep the eggs moist. It’s something my mom always did,” he said.

Jody Arzalotta, Cape Neddick

Jody Arzalotta was gathering tomatoes at the Portland market to make Persian Shirazi salad for her Iranian mother-in-law. She prefers to eat summer tomatoes raw to better enjoy their fresh flavor.

Shirazi is a cool, crunchy dish made with chopped tomatoes, basil, spring onion, cucumbers and bell peppers, dressed with tart citrus and olive oil. “It’s a nice and refreshing summer salad,” Arzalotta said.

Tom Edes, Falmouth

“I’ll eat them on sandwiches, then I’ll take them on the road because I’m driving to Missouri,” Tom Edes said. “I’ll eat them with whatever I’m having for lunch, because I just think tomatoes add to everything.

“I also put them in breakfast burritos on a camping trip,” he continued. “I usually use B&M kidney beans because they’re kind of special, then eggs and any kind of cheese I have.”

Peter Kaczorowski and Nina Goldman, New York City

Visiting from out of town, Peter Kaczorowski and Nina Goldman didn’t have particular plans for their tomato haul, but they knew that whatever they did, they’d keep it simple. “We’ll probably just slice them and dress them with salt and pepper and maybe some basil,” Kaczorowski said. “They’ll maybe go on some sandwiches.

“Also a tomato salad with good olive oil and vinegar,” Goldman added.

“If I were going to cook tomatoes, I’d use Romas, because they have less seeds and more pulp,” Kaczorowski said. “With these (heirloom tomatoes), I just use salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil. I don’t want to cover up the natural acidity of the tomato.”

“There’s something very refreshing about them if they’re not overly adorned,” Goldman said.

Ariel Eshbach of Olde Mill Farm in Brownfield

“I make tomato sandwiches or a tomato pie. I haven’t made a pie yet this year,” said Ariel Eshbach, who was manning the Olde Mill Farm tent at the Portland Farmers’ Market with her young daughter, Elena.

“There are layers of mayonnaise and cheese on a pie crust with onions and tomatoes, and you just bake it like a tart,” Eshbach explained. “You also want herbs and plenty of salt. Everyone in my house likes it. My approach is pretty classic. It sounds kind of gross, to heat up mayonnaise, but it’s actually really good.”

Judith D’Amico, Portland

“I’m going to slice them, put some oil and vinegar on them and some kosher salt, and then eat them,” Judith D’Amico said. “I keep it simple because I want to taste the tomato. Sometimes I just forgo the oil and vinegar and just season them with salt and pepper.

“I also make fresh salsa out of them,” she added. “Fresh tomato, chop up some onion really fine, and a little garlic, also chopped fine, maybe a little chopped green bell pepper, and that’s it. The tomato provides all the juice, and it’s wonderful.”

Laura Graves, Portland 

“I have a garden, so I’ll be tossing tomatoes with some of my snap peas, maybe a little feta cheese and whatever herbs are in the garden, then dress them with olive oil and depending on the mood, balsamic, white wine vinegar or cider vinegar,” said Laura Graves, who bought six pounds of tomatoes. She visits the market once a week for tomatoes until the ones in her own garden are ready.

“They’re $5 a pound, I’m not going to cook them,” she laughed. “I’m going to eat them fresh – I’ve been waiting all year for this. I can get them in a can if I want to cook with them.”

Neil Zabriskie, chef-owner of Regards

Unlike casual shoppers, who linger over the produce displays and take it all in at a leisurely pace, chefs often approach a farmers market spread purposefully. Neil Zabriskie was a man on a quiet culinary mission, selecting several pounds of heirloom tomatoes to make a sofrito for a Spanish rice and crab dish at Regards, a Portland restaurant that makes globally inspired dishes.

Sofrito is a Latino tomato sauce that heightens the tomatoes’ umami notes, the natural meaty flavor that comes from their high concentration of glutamates. Zabriskie’s strategy was to start with flavorful fresh tomatoes, then cook them down to reduce the liquid almost to a paste and intensify the flavor so it permeates the whole dish.

“In this application, a riff on a paella, that paste is really going to maximize the flavor,” he said.

Christine Curci, Cumberland

“We have BLTs everyday that we can, when summer tomatoes are in,” Christine Curci said. “We also make Caprese salads. We like to eat cherry tomatoes just as they are, or I like to roast them. I also like to make a tomato tart.

“I don’t have a preference for raw or cooked dishes for tomatoes,” she said. “Either way, it’s the only time of year that I feel you can get a tomato that tastes like a tomato.”

Zucchini Gratin

This summery baked dish, taken from “Modern Country Cooking” by Annemarie Ahearn of Saltwater Farm in Lincolnville, uses tomatoes in two ways. Chopped tomatoes are cooked into a garlicky sauce to lend the whole dish savory tomato flavor, while slices of heirloom tomatoes lend their roasted sweet-tart taste to the zucchini mixture.

Serves 6

4 medium zucchini or summer squash or a mix of the two
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed to fry the zucchini
1 yellow onion, small dice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 fresh bay leaf
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon cold butter
Red pepper flakes (optional)
3 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves picked from stems
6 sprigs Italian flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked from stems
3 heirloom tomatoes, cut into 3/4-inch rounds
1 cup finely grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the zucchini or summer squash into 1/2-inch rounds. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the squash in batches, making sure not to crowd pan or else they will steam and resist gaining color. Add more oil if necessary. Once they are browned, move them to a sheet pan and reserve.

In a heavy-bottomed pot, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Sweat for 10 minutes, with the cover on, moving them around in the pan from time to time. Add the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the bay leaf and chopped tomato. Let the mixture cook 20 minutes or until the tomato sauce reduces, sweetens and thickens. Finish with the cold butter and salt and pepper to taste. Add the red pepper flakes if desired.

Roughly chop the oregano and parsley. In a 9-inch square baking pan, lay down half of the tomato sauce. Cover with an even layer of the zucchini, and then lay about half of the heirloom tomato rounds on top. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of Parmesan and half of the herbs. Repeat the process, first laying down the sauce, then the zucchini, then the tomato rounds, then the cheese and herbs. Place in the oven for 40 minutes or until the gratin looks golden brown and most of the liquid has baked off. Remove from the oven and let set for 10 minutes. Slice into pieces and serve warm.

Warrior Bruschetta

This recipe was contributed to the “Maine Community Cookbook, Vol. 2” by the Nokomis Regional High School Cooking Club in Newport. The Warrior is the high school mascot. Quick and easy, it’s a simple way to showcase peak summer tomatoes.

Serves 10-14

6 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 red onion, chopped
Fresh basil, chopped roughly
Extra-virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar reduction (purchased or reduced at home)
Sliced baguette, for serving

Toss tomatoes, garlic, onions and basil in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and a generous swirl of both the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar reduction. Stir once or twice and spoon onto slices of baguette.