Tomato season is the best season. It’s not up for discussion. Unless you’d like to discuss how tomato season is also peach season and cherry season – which is pretty fabulous, I agree! Good talk.

Every year I count down the days to eating fresh tomatoes. My garden tomatoes are always in later in July, but a few weeks before I will start buying them at grocery stores and farmers markets. First the cherry tomatoes, then finally the heirlooms. And I’ll get buy on eating other people’s tomatoes until the day when I can finally pluck one of my own off the vine.

Incidentally, that day is only a couple of days away (unless those danged squirrels get hungry again). My very first little sungold is turning its rich orange color. I still remember popping the first one in my mouth from last year… It tasted so sweet and fresh: like happiness. It’s impossible to compare a fresh tomato to anything else.

One of my favorite things to do, besides just eat them with salt and olive oil, is to eat them in a fruit salad. It’s unusual, I know. But it’s so delicious. A few dollops of goat cheese and it’s just perfect.

This salad is the best of both worlds – an utterly simple preparation with a few herbs from the garden. I ate it as an afternoon snack but I think it’d be lovely for any meal – alongside scrambled eggs at breakfast, with a green salad or soup for lunch or alongside a beautiful piece of fish or steak for dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 medium very ripe heirloom tomato, sliced
• 10-15 dark cherries, pitted and halved
• 2 Tbsp. goat cheese
• 1 Tbsp. best quality olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. chopped mint
• 2 Tbsp. chopped basil
• Liberal salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Layer sliced tomatoes and cherries on a plate, then drizzle with goat cheese and olive oil.
2. Top with chopped mint and basil, then liberally salt and pepper. Enjoy!