I love this season - the weather's warm and sunny and summer’s the time many fruits and vegetables are sold at very reasonable prices.   

Whenever tomatoes are cheap and abundant I buy lots of them to freeze for later use.  The ripe oval tomatoes from the lowlands are best for sauces.  Bring a pot of water to boil.  Wash tomatoes, cut an “X” into the stem end, and blanch for about 2 – 3 minutes or till the skins slip off easily. Peel and freeze in plastic freezer-safe containers.  Thaw and add to sautéed onions, garlic and eggplant cubes (and maybe add some olives and capers) for a pasta sauce.  Basil, oregano and marjoram are good additions too.

Strawberries too are a great buy these days.  To enjoy them year-round, hull the berries, wash and dry them – a salad spinner works well for this – and pack them in plastic containers for storage in the freezer.  The berries can also be placed on a cookie sheet, frozen, and packed into freezer-safe plastic bags.  Whirl some berries with crushed ice and sugar in a blender for a great summertime drink!