I’m not going to lie – I’m ready for fall. Last night I stood on a friend’s porch watching the usual summer afternoon thunderstorm and listening to typical summertime complaints of heat and humidity. Every year it hits us, we loved the tomatoes, the peaches and the al fresco meals and now we are sweating and ready to see the leaves change.

In honor of the summertime blues, I thought I would be optimistic and share what may be the best thing about summertime – heirloom tomato caprese salad. I made this dish at the beginning of the summer with a garlicy lemon shrimp pasta. I picked out three of the most unusual and colorful tomatoes and matched them up with fresh mozzarella and homegrown basil. Line them up together and drizzle them with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. This winter – you’ll be sorry you didn’t.