•Find a local grower, preferably a small-scale operation that cares about its products. Start your search at a specialty produce or farmers' market. These tomatoes will likely be grown in the ground (not hydroponically), in rich soil (not an inferior mix), and in the open sun (not a hothouse), and picked at the optimum time. They might also be organic and/or heirloom—a bonus.

•Look for good color and smell, taut skin, and flesh that has a little give.

•Don't refrigerate them: The cold breaks down the cell walls and makes the fruit mushy.

•Keep them out of direct sunlight and eat them within a few days.