Here's a top 10 countdown of recipes and preparations using one of the stars of summer eating - the sweet, and perfectly ripe tomato. After suffering with pink, mealy supermarket tomatoes all winter, there's nothing that says summer like a beautiful, just-picked tomato.

10. Fresh Tomato, Goat Cheese, and Herb Salad

This California entry is the least traditional member of the list, but one taste of this salad, and any doubts about its inclusion will be dashed. Tear a head of tender butter lettuce apart, and top with freshly cut tomatoes, a few slices of cucumber, and a generous crumbling of fresh goat cheese.

Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste, and top with a large sprinkling of sweet herbs - basil, parsley, tarragon, and mint. A little drizzle of oil and vinegar is all that's needed to finish this delicious tomato salad.

9. Fresh Tomato Pizza

There is nothing wrong with a traditional slice of pizza. But, in the middle of summer, turn that pizza into something really special, with slices of fresh heirloom tomatoes. Before you top with the cheese, simply arrange some thin slices of fresh tomato on top of the usual sauce. Be sure to season with some salt and fresh ground black pepper to really bring out those flavors.

8. Oven Roasted Fresh Tomatoes

As anyone that has a few cherry tomato plants out back can attest, you need to have an easy recipe to use up all those extras! The neighbors will only take so many. So, cut them in half, toss with extra virgin olive oil, some salt and fresh ground black pepper, maybe a few springs of herb, and roast in a slow oven until caramelized. Once cooled, these roasted tomatoes can be used in countless recipes.

7. Greek Salad with Fresh Tomatoes and Feta

Greek immigrants who settled in the Midwest brought this classic fresh salad to America's tables. A Greek salad is a perfect recipe to enjoy sweet, ripe cherry tomatoes, along with the traditional cucumbers, onions and feta cheese.More »

6. Fresh Tomato Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a great warm weather soup! This gazpacho recipe is fairly traditional and really shows off the vine-ripened goodness of tomatoes. You can make this gazpacho as mild or spicy as you like by adjusting the amount of hot peppers.More »

5. Fresh Tomato Salsa

What better way to enjoy fresh tomatoes than in a salsa recipe? Take a break from that jarred stuff, and enjoy salsa like it's suppose to taste. This classic tomato salsa recipe is great on everything from a grilled chicken breast to your favorite chips.More »

4. Fresh Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

This is such an easy and beautiful cold platter to serve at any summer meal. Tomato and mozzarella salad is a classic combination, and this version features each slice of tomato as its own salad.More »

3. Fresh Tomato Bruschetta

Tomato Bruschetta is one of the world's great recipes for enjoying fresh ripe tomatoes. The way the sweet juices soak into the garlicky toasted bread is irresistible. You can add countless ingredients into a Bruschetta topping, but this classic recipe lets the tomatoes be the star.More »

2. Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich

Tomatoes are a common addition to all kinds of American sandwiches, but no sandwich shows off the sweet tangy goodness of a summer tomato like the BLT! The crisp lettuce, the smoky bacon, the mayonnaise tying everything together - it doesn't get much better than this for enjoying a fresh summer tomato.

1. Just Tomato

The ultimate way to enjoy a fresh, sweet, ripe, summer tomato is plucked from the vine, brushed off with bare hands, and eaten as is. Its hot juices exploding with months of stored sunshine. Anyone that has grown tomatoes will testify that it doesn't get any better. If you don't have your own garden, the next best thing would be visiting a farmers market to enjoy that just-picked taste.