I'm afraid to even say this out loud because I don't want to jinx it. But at the very beginning of tomato season, I ate a perfect heirloom.

The flesh was taut; the juices fragrant. It was the first excellent local tomato I'd eaten in a long time. And perhaps more shocking, the next day I ate another one.

After several less-than-stellar tomato seasons (late blight; biblical floods), it looks as if the New York area is finally in for a good crop this summer.

"This is shaping up to be a classic tomato season," said Bill Maxwell, owner of Maxwell's Farm in Changewater, N.J.

The first plantings have been extremely productive and fine-flavored, he told me. It turns out the oppressive heat that has made subway riders miserable is actually beneficial if you're a tomato. They like the hot weather, growing faster and sweeter because of it.

Another greenmarket vendor, Susie Dare of Cherry Lane Farms in Bridgeton, N.J., is jubilant.

"I can't speak for anyone else, but we are having a great tomato season," she said. "Our plants just keep producing and producing."

In the kitchen, one of the best things a cook can do with a surfeit of ripe summer tomatoes is to not cook them. With such tasty beauties available (and given the tomato-pleasing heat), salads make more sense.

Start with something simple. Slice big tomatoes into rounds and cut smaller ones into wedges and the cherry and grape varieties in half. Very gently toss them with fresh herbs, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and good salt.

You can stop there and be in heaven. We eat this salad at least three times a week in tomato season. Sometimes I skip the balsamic and let the flavor of the olive oil dominate. Sometimes I add minced garlic, black pepper and a little mustard.

If you want to get fancy, use the basic formula as a base for whatever little bits of cheese or meat are hanging out in your fridge. Recently, I added crumbled blue cheese for tang, fresh figs for sweetness and a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts for crunch. But feta and olives would have worked just as well, or goat cheese, peaches and toasted almonds. If you're looking for tomato salad as a main course, add meat, canned fish or lots of cheese.

I often make panzanella, the Italian bread and tomato salad. This year, to give it Spanish flair, more heft and a dose of spice, I tossed in cubes of crisp cured chorizo. We ate it for dinner one night and fried up the leftovers for brunch, topped with poached eggs.

Another summer favorite is anything covered in tonnato sauce, which is essentially tuna salad put into the blender until it liquefies (It tastes much better than it sounds). Spooned on top of ripe heirlooms, tomato tonnato is as delicious to eat as it is fun to pronounce.

Whether the tomatoes deserve it or not, I make some version of a tomato Caesar salad every summer. With so many terrific tomatoes this year, I inverted the usual proportions of lettuce to tomatoes, favoring the tomatoes. It was the juiciest of Caesars, and pretty, too, dotted with anchovies and curls of Parmesan.

These ideas only scratch the surface. Regardless of how you do it, go make a salad. Because a lot can happen between now and when the rest of the crop comes in: hail, mites, an onset of blight.

As Maxwell said, "until you put the money in your pocket, you just never know."

The season is fleeting. Take advantage.

TOMATO BREAD SALAD WITH CHORIZO AND HERBS

Time: 20 minutes, plus standing time

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

3 ounces day-old country bread, torn into bite-size pieces, about 3 cups

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ pound dried (cured) chorizo, cut into ½-inch pieces

½ cup Spanish onion, finely chopped

½ teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, more to taste

Black pepper, as needed

2 ripe, juicy tomatoes, about 1 pound, cut into 1-inch chunks, about 3 cups

1/3 cup basil leaves, torn into pieces

1/3 cup packed cilantro leaves

1. Heat broiler. Spread bread on large baking sheet and toast until just golden, about 1 minute.

2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and onion; cook until sausage is golden and onion soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in oregano and remove from heat.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk in remaining oil. In a large bowl, combine bread, tomato and chorizo mixture. Toss in dressing, basil and cilantro. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving.

CHERRY TOMATO CAESAR SALAD

Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

¾ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 crisp romaine lettuce leaves, thinly sliced

½ pound cherry tomatoes, preferably a mix of colors, halved

4 anchovies packed in oil, coarsely chopped

1 ½ ounces Parmesan, more to taste

Black pepper

1. In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, salt, lemon juice and Worcestershire. Whisk in olive oil.

2. Spread lettuce on a platter and drizzle with some of the dressing. Scatter tomatoes and anchovies over lettuce and drizzle with some more dressing. Using a vegetable peeler or coarse grater, grate or shave cheese over the salad. Drizzle dressing over the plate and finish with pepper.

TOMATO, FRESH FIG AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD

Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons pine nuts

1 large or 2 small ripe tomatoes, about 8 ounces, thinly sliced

½ pound fresh figs, cut into quarters

1 ounce crumbled blue cheese, like Fourme d'Ambert, more to taste

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Black pepper

1. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and salt. Whisk in oil.

2. In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast pine nuts, shaking the pan occasionally, until light golden, about 2 minutes.

3. Spread tomato slices on a large plate. Scatter fig quarters and pine nuts over tomatoes. Sprinkle with cheese and thyme, drizzle with dressing and finish with pepper.

TOMATO TONNATO

Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 3-ounce can imported tuna packed in olive oil, drained and flaked

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoons drained capers

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 anchovy fillets, optional

1 fat garlic clove, smashed and peeled

2 tablespoons tightly packed basil leaves, more for garnish

2 pounds mixed tomatoes, large ones cut in slices, small ones cut in wedges

Coarse sea salt

Black pepper

Crusty bread, for serving

1. In a blender, make the sauce: combine olive oil, tuna, mayonnaise, capers, lemon juice, anchovies, garlic and 2 tablespoons basil and purée until creamy.

2. Lay tomatoes out on a platter and spoon sauce over the tops. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper and garnish with basil leaves. Serve with bread.