The first ripe tomato of the season is like a shiny jewel, but by summer's end, an overabundance of tomatoes may cause them to lose some of their luster.
Here are some ideas from the Florida Tomatoes Committee:
Make a BLT in a bowl. Bathe cubes of Italian bread and tomatoes in prepared Italian dressing, serve on a bed of shredded lettuce and sprinkle with bacon bits.
Create a "tomato fiesta salad" by combining diced tomatoes, black beans, corn kernels and coleslaw mix with a zesty citrus salad dressing.
Toss chunks of fresh tomato and green bell pepper with canned, drained chickpeas and tuna. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice and sprinkle with cracked red pepper.
Company grew as good word spread
Small specialty-food companies have flourished in this day of Internet marketing, but a New England company that recently caught our attention got its first customers the old-fashioned way - through word-of-mouth.
Laurie Lynch of Portsmouth, N.H., made pepper jelly to sell at a friend's holiday fair more than 20 years ago. The jars sold within hours, word spread, and Lollipop Tree was born. The company makes preserves, sauces, baking mixes and salad dressings, many in unusual flavors like Raspberry Ginger pancake mix or Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. While business has grown, the products are still made by hand. Items are priced three for $20. Call 800-842-6691 or log on to www.lollipoptree.com.
Easier ice cream
Ice cream brings welcome relief to summer's heat, but you first have to scoop it out of the carton and drop it into a bowl. Good Cook has developed an ice-cream scoop that makes the job easier. The Smart Scoop is a durable, all-metal tool with a nonstick coating that glides through the hardest ice cream, then smoothly releases it.
It's available at Target stores and grocery stores nationwide for about $8.
More women at the grill
Male dominance of the barbecue grill is over, according to Weber Grills. The company reported that last year more women than men called Weber's Grill-Line for tips on barbecuing. In response, the company developed Weber's Girls' Guide to Grilling, a 40-page how-to booklet with recipes.
To obtain a free copy or for answers to your grilling questions, call the Grill-Line anytime between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. from now through Labor Day. The number is 800-474-5568.
Events
The International School of Protocol can teach you the secrets to how to handle yourself with ease in dining situations at a dinner from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday at the Kings Contrivance, 10150 Shaker Drive, in Columbia. $63 includes instruction and four-course meal. Advance registration is required. Call 410-592-6399.
Joan Shi, author of the Art of Chinese Cookery, will be signing books and holding a sushi demonstration from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Barnes & Noble Bookseller, 1 E. Joppa Road, Towson.
Petit Louis, 4800 Roland Ave., continues its "lost lunch" series 1:30 p.m. Friday with Corsican dishes and wine. $79 per person. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Call 410-366-9393.
Taste the differences between syrah wines from around the world, 6 p.m. tomorrow at Bin 604, 604 S. Exeter St. $25 for tickets in advance; $35 at the door. Call 410-576-0444.