Get me some basil, buffalo mozzarella and sea salt....STAT!

The August issue of Eating Well has arrived in subscriber mailboxes with a plump, glistening tomato on the cover.

That means the magazine was coming off the printing presses when the salmonella scare was making headlines. So I called Lisa Gosselin, the editor at the Vermont-based publication, to ask about the not-so-perfect timing.

"I woke up in the morning, heard the news, and my first thought was 'Oh no! Is it too late to get this cover back from the printer?' " she said. Turns out the magazine was too far gone — it would have been far too costly and disruptive to reverse course. So, Gosselin took a deep breath and reflected on the fact that the cover had actually been chosen by an on-line poll of readers. There were four to choose from, including one that showcased summer corn. But hands down, readers chose the photograph by Ken Burris that showed the luscious tomato in all its summertime glory. "There’s nothing that says summer more than tasting a ripe tomato," Gosselin said. "A summer-fresh, farmers market tomato is just one of the best things in the world."

If you're unfamiliar with Eating Well, it covers health and nutrition news and trends, and includes yummy recipes for guilt-free eating. My favorite way to use ripe tomatoes is a Caprese salad. I look forward to trying their take on it. Here's another recipe from The Times' archives for heirloom tomatoes and ricotta salad with homemade croutons. C'mon. You can't pass up homemade croutons.

What's your favorite way to enjoy summer-fresh tomatoes? And for the record, there have been no health concerns reported with locally grown tomatoes, such as from your local farmers market. You can read the latest news story on the scare here.

— Rene Lynch

Photo credit: www.EatingWell.com