At the start of the weekend, I hauled my garden baskets into the kitchen and looked for space to put another 20 pounds of tomatoes. At this time of year, a table in my kitchen is overfilled with trays and pans of tomatoes in various states of ripeness. Underneath the table sits a basket of ripening Roma tomatoes.

On Sunday, I thought I'd made a dent in the tomato table. I simmered up a vat of pasta sauce to freeze. I used more than a peck of Romas and at least 10 pounds of larger tomatoes.

Later, I picked more tomatoes. Once again, the tomato table and basket underneath were full.

These are the days gardeners wait for. Tomatoes crammed on every surface. The panic over what you're going to do with them. The groans from loved ones when served sliced tomatoes at yet another meal.

My husband made plans to visit his family on Monday. "See if they need tomatoes," I prompted as he phoned his mother.

I filled a box with about 15 pounds of tomatoes, layering them with newspaper. I would have given more but I didn't want to scare them.

Then I went out to pick. I would give it a break but the groundhog likes ripe tomatoes, too. He and I had been watching the one Cherokee Purple turning reddish-brown. The next time I looked, he'd torn it from the vine and enjoyed it, but only ate half.

Was he full because he'd also taken great bites from two other tomatoes? Now I pick anything approaching ripe.

I don't know how tomato fatigue set in this soon. Perhaps because it took so long for them to ripen, and then they seemed to be ready all at once.

I still love them. Gorgeous and curvaceous, pinky red to yellow, my tomatoes have been packed with flavor. Brandywines were the first to ripen with abandon. They're my favorite, flavor-wise. They're enormous, but I haven't topped the 2-pounder from two weeks ago.

Celebrity tomatoes ripened next. I've planted them every year. A big, dependable beefsteak, they don't have the fusarium wilt or cracking problems of Brandywines. They're good, but I won't plant them next year. Well, maybe just one plant.

I'm tickled with a tomato I started from seed called Stupice. Like Brandywines, it has a potato-type leaf, but the plant is smaller, neater. The tomatoes are golf-ball size, crisp and tart, with a good acid balance. They're on my list for next year.

My friend Michele mailed me some Italian tomato seeds called Cuore di Bue, meaning beefheart. These are curious. On some plants, the tomatoes are heart-shaped with a point at the end. On another, they're squat and scalloped.

I figured I mixed up the plants. I Googled beefheart tomatoes and found photos of each shape of tomato. I like both. The squat one is more acidic; the heart-shaped one firmer and deeper flavored. I'll save some seeds so I can grow these again.

The Saturday before last, we gathered with friends for a potluck. I brought two tomato pies. My husband, who loves anything shaped like a pie and that has a crust, couldn't decide which he liked more. As I placed my dishes on the table, I saw a tomato pizza and another tomato tart.

It must be tomato time.

---

PG TESTED

This is the salad for your best, ripest tomatoes.

• 2 tablespoons fruity olive oil
• 2 tablespoons medium-dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced (1/2 to 3/4 cup)
• 2 large (about 11/2 pounds) ripe tomatoes, halved, cored and sliced into thin wedges
• 4 to 6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup slivered fresh basil

In small bowl, mix oil, sherry, vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir in red onion; let stand 10 to 15 minutes.

Arrange tomatoes and mozzarella on large platter. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Spoon onions and dressing over top. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

-- Miriam Rubin

PG TESTED

A wonderfully simple, fragrant soup you'll turn to again and again. It would be a good big-batch soup to have on hand in the freezer. The authors like to serve it with a bit of sour cream and more dill. You could also use plain Greek-style yogurt.

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion (I used a sweet onion), chopped
• 4 large ripe tomatoes (2 pounds), skinned and chopped
• 11/2 cups homemade or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In large heavy saucepan over medium heat, warm oil. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, broth, dill, honey, salt and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, until lightly thickened.

Makes 5 cups, 4 to 6 servings.

-- Adapted from "Tomato Imperative" by Sharon Nimtz and Ruth Cousineau (Little Brown, 1994)

PG TESTED

A savory, sassy and cheesy tomato pie from a trusted all-tomato cookbook, "The Tomato Imperative."

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut up
• About 1/3 cup milk
• 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices (halve large tomatoes)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 11/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 small red onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup) or a large shallot
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Set out a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.

In large bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until texture is crumbly. Stir in milk until dough comes together. Put dough on floured board and knead 1 or 2 times; flatten into disk. Roll with floured rolling pin to an 11-inch round. Fit into pie plate. Dough is fragile but easy to patch.

Layer tomatoes on dough. Sprinkle with thyme and 1 cup cheese. In small bowl, mix mayonnaise, red onion or shallot and garlic. Spread over cheese with rubber spatula as best you can.

Sprinkle with remaining  1/4 cup cheese and parsley. Bake 45 minutes, until biscuit crust is browned and pie is set. Let stand a few minutes before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers. Leftovers are good cold or reheated.

Makes 4 to 6 servings, more for a first course.

-- Adapted from "Tomato Imperative" by Sharon Nimtz and Ruth Cousineau (Little Brown, 1994).

PG tested

From Paula Lambert's new book "Cheese, Glorious Cheese!" She is owner of the Mozzarella Co. in Dallas, which produces artisanal and specialty cheeses. This tart is a different, elegant approach to tomato pie. Serve it warm and fresh from the oven.

• 5 to 6 very large ripe tomatoes, cored (about 4 ?? pounds, I used 5 tomatoes)
• 1 refrigerated pie crust
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put oven rack in bottom third of oven. Butter and flour 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom.

Place each tomato on its side and cut into 1/4-inch slices, discarding ends. (Cut very large tomatoes in half first.) Line rimmed baking sheet with paper towel. Add single layer of tomatoes; top with more paper towel. Continue layering tomatoes. Cover top with paper towel and press down gently to release juices. Let stand at least 30 minutes.

Place 2 pieces plastic wrap on work surface; dust with flour. Place pie crust on top; cover with 2 more sheets plastic wrap. Roll to 12-inch round. Remove top plastic wrap, invert crust into prepared pan. Remove remaining plastic wrap. Fit crust into pan bottom and up sides, even with top edge. Prick with fork. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

Bake about 10 minutes, until starting to brown in spots. Press down with spoon if crust puffs up. Sprinkle crust with 1/4 cup parmesan and rosemary. Arrange tomatoes tightly in overlapping concentric circles in crust. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, until tomatoes begin to brown on edges. Shield edges of crust with foil if starting to overbrown.

Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup parmesan. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until cheese is golden brown. Let cool on rack. Slip off ring and slide tart off bottom onto serving plate. Serve warm.

Makes 8 appetizer or side-dish servings.

-- Adapted from "Cheese, Glorious Cheese!" by Paula Lambert (Simon & Schuster, 2007, $26.95).