Summer may be easing into its golden finale, but at Lake Tahoe Markets, one crop is still throwing a full-blown party. Cherry tomatoes are bright, sweet, and bursting with sunshine.  Late August heat has pushed the vines into overdrive, and shoppers are noticing. Pints of reds, golds, and Sungold oranges are selling fast, each one warm from the field and tasting like summer. This is the moment cherry tomato lovers wait for: that perfect balance of sweetness, acidity, and thin-skinned juiciness that only shows up in the final stretch of the season.

Lake Tahoe Market regulars are tossing them into quick pastas, blistering them in cast-iron skillets, or simply snacking straight from the pint while strolling the aisles. “These are the tomatoes that make people smile,” one grower said, gesturing toward a rainbow-bright display.  

With cooler nights on the horizon, the window is short. But right now, cherry tomatoes are the star of Lake Tahoe Markets and provide proof that late August still has plenty of flavor left to give.

Cherry Tomato Confit

Colorful cherry tomatoes, a generous pour of olive oil, smashed garlic, a few herbs are the secret to late-August magic in a pan.  Make a big batch while the tomatoes are still overflowing at Lake Tahoe Markets; they freeze beautifully and keep for months, ready to bring a hit of sunny, savory-sweet goodness whenever you need it.

2 pints cherry tomatoes 

8-10 cloves garlic

½ cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil

4-5 sprigs fresh thyme

3 springs fresh rosemary

6-7 fresh basil leaves

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450°F.  In a single layer, place cherry tomatoes and garlic cloves in a baking dish. Pour extra virgin olive oil into the dish all over the cherry tomatoes. Nestle the herbs into the tomatoes, and season everything with kosher salt and pepper.  Bake for 15 minutes. Take it out and give it a stir and bake another 5-10 minutes. This final time would depend on your oven. The confit is ready when the tomatoes are soft, the skins are wrinkly, and just beginning to burst here and there.  Once they’re cooked, let them cool completely in the oil at room temperature before storing.

Jill Rozier

Lake Tahoe Markets

www.LakeTahoeMarkets.com