Although COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted almost everywhere, we are not returning to all our pre-pandemic habits. For example, at our local farmers markets, attendance is down significantly compared to three years ago.

Interest in tomatoes seems to have declined, too. For years, several local farmers markets held very popular tomato tastings and festivals, with samplings of a vast array of varieties and preparations. This year, there are no tomato tastings or festivals.

But there are plenty of tomatoes and will be until there is a big drop in temperature or a heavy rain, neither of which are on the horizon.

One of the heavy hitters when it comes to tomatoes is The Patch. The Sonoma-based farm is typically the first vendor to appear with tomatoes, usually Early Girl and Shady Lady varieties. Next comes their hybrid beefsteak variety, perfect for classic salsa.

Heirlooms follow a few weeks after the hybrids, and this year’s selection is glorious. And there among all the multicolored fruit is a special tomato with no name.

From its stem end, a purple color drips to its shoulders. The rest of it is yellow, as is its juicy, dense flesh.

Farmer Lazaro Calderon, who founded The Patch in 1996, thinks it may be a volunteer from two varieties, Black Brandywine and Pineapple. An online search shows several tomatoes marked in a similar way, though none quite nail it.

Let’s hope Lazaro saves some seed, as this tomato is absolutely delicious. It makes an excellent Caprese salad. And while we’re on this topic, let’s take a closer look at the salad.

Insalata Caprese has just six ingredients: tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, extra-virgin olive oil, salt and black pepper. The quality of each ingredient is what matters most.

But recently, I have seen all manner of ingredients added, from balsamic vinegar to bacon, eggs, corn (still on the cob), strawberries, watermelon, figs, salmon and quinoa. In some instances, fruit replaces the tomatoes; in others, it joins them. None are Insalta Caprese.

At some point, a dish needs a new name, in part because traditional monikers — think pasta al pesto, BLTs and clam chowder — create expectations.

I’m all for being spontaneous in the kitchen. But when it comes to leaving traditional names on dishes that bear little if any resemblance to the original, my advice is to simply stop, especially if the dish is going on a restaurant menu.

The Patch attends several farmers markets throughout the week and also has a farm stand, at 280 Second St. E., Sonoma. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Late summer and fall are perfect times to make this classic salad. When you use out-of-season or supermarket tomatoes, it’s a shadow of what it’s meant to be. Basil, too, is a creature of summer and tastes best in its own time. For this salad, I recommend dense-flesh heirloom tomatoes, such as Black Brandywine, a longtime favorite. The Patch includes it among their many heirloom varieties.

3 - 4 medium ripe beefsteak tomatoes, cored

2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced

3 tablespoons best-quality extra-virgin olive oil

Black pepper in a mill

Use a very thin, very sharp knife to cut the mozzarella into ⅜-inch-thick slices. Set aside briefly.

Cut the tomatoes into ⅜-inch rounds, cutting through their equators, not their poles.

Arrange the tomatoes and mozzarella in circles on a large serving platter or individual plates. Scatter the garlic on top and season lightly with salt.

Drizzle with olive oil, tuck basil leaves here and there and season with several turns of black pepper.

Let rest for 15 minutes, sprinkle with a bit more salt and enjoy.

Here, I use burrata instead of mozzarella and cut the tomatoes into wedges instead of rounds to resonate with the shape of the cheese. The flavors and textures of the dish deliver on our expectations.

6 small (2-inch) tomatoes, preferably mixed colors, cored

Small handful cherry tomatoes, quartered

3 garlic cloves, crushed and minced

6 - 8 basil leaves, torn into small pieces

Black pepper in a mill

Set the burrata off center on a medium or large plate.

Cut each small tomato into 6 wedges, cutting through the poles, not the equators.

Scatter the tomato wedges randomly on the plate. Add the cherry tomatoes.

Scatter the garlic over the tomatoes, followed by the basil.

Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, garnish with basil sprigs and enjoy right away.

One of my favorite cookbooks is “Unplugged Kitchen” (Morrow, 1996) by Viana LaPlace, which is a study in grace, simplicity and deliciousness. It’s the only cookbook, other than my own and the 1964 edition of “Joy of Cooking,” that I keep on my desk. Hot Rice with Cold Lemon is one of my favorite recipes in the book, and this dish is inspired by that one. I often make it just for myself during late summer and early fall, when an abundance of dead-ripe tomatoes coincides with a heatwave.

⅔ cup Italian or Spanish rice

1 large beefsteak tomato, cored and chopped

Black pepper in a mill

Chopped fresh Italian parsley or snipped chives, optional

Put the rice into a medium saucepan and add a few generous pinches of salt and enough water to cover it by a good 3 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the rice is just done but still has some resistance at its center; it will take about 12 to 14 minutes.

While the rice cooks, put the chopped tomato into a bowl, add the garlic and lemon juice, season to taste with salt and set aside.

When the rice is ready, drain off any excess liquid and divide among soup plates or pasta bowls. Top with the tomato and its juices, drizzle with olive oil, season with several generous turns of black pepper and scatter with herbs, if using.

There are too many versions of tabbouleh to count. This one borrows from both Lebanese and American traditions. In Lebanon, the cracked wheat is a minor ingredient, tossed with a variety of greens, plus tomatoes and scallions. In the U.S., cracked wheat is typically the primary ingredient. This falls somewhere between the two, with more vegetables than you find in U.S. versions and more bulgur wheat than in Lebanese versions. When it’s warm outside, I like to serve this as dinner, with a wedge of feta cheese.

1 bunch (8 - 10) scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and minced

5 medium-size backyard-quality tomatoes, preferably heirloom, cut into small dice

¾ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

½ cup fresh mint, cut into thin ribbons

Put the bulgur in a strainer, shake out any debris, rinse under cool water and set the strainer with the grain in it in a large bowl. Cover with water and set aside for 10 minutes.

Make the citronette while the bulgur soaks. Set it aside.

Drain off the water, wrap the bulgur in a clean kitchen towel and twist to squeeze out excess moisture. Put the bulgur in a large wide glass or ceramic bowl and pour the dressing over it.

Scatter the serranos, if using, and the scallions over the surface of the bulgur and top with the cucumber. Spread the tomatoes on top of the cucumber. Toss the parsley, cilantro and mint together and spread the mixture evenly over the tomatoes. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

To serve, use two large salad spoons or forks to toss the ingredients together, being sure to reach to the bottom of the bowl to incorporate the bulgur and dressing.

Taste and correct for salt and pepper, if needed. Enjoy right away or refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Note: Using a mix of colors of tomatoes makes a beautiful presentation. Just be sure to choose tomatoes that feel heavy in your hand for their size; that typically guarantees you’re getting dense-flesh fruit, which is what you want in this dish.

Variation: For a version that is both gluten-free and delicious, omit the bulgur wheat. Instead, use the kernels of 2 or 3 ears of corn that you have grilled briefly on a stovetop grill or in a grill pan. Let cool, place in the bottom of the bowl and pour the dressing over it.

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Black pepper in a mill

Put the shallot, garlic and lemon zest in a small bowl or wide-mouth glass jar. Add the lemon juice and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

Season generously with salt, add the olive oil and either mix with a fork or seal the jar and shake vigorously.

Set aside until ready to use.

Michele Anna Jordan is the author of 24 books to date, including “The Good Cook’s Book of Tomatoes.” Email her at michele@micheleannajordan.com.

UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy: