I have been mind cheating on summer. We have a few weeks before fall officially begins, but I have already had thoughts of beef bourguignon. I cannot wait to turn my oven on again. I cannot wait to braise.

I feel like a monster. To give up on summer like this.

My guilt led me straight to the pool this past Sunday, a last-ditch effort to rekindle what was left of my summer romance with summer. It was so cold I kept my jacket on the entire time. It was not working.

I should have seen this seasonal adultery coming. The signs were there.

Last week, I lost my cool when I sliced open a melon from the farmers’ market and its juice dumped all over the floor. I have grown emotionally distant, a tad neglectful even, with my corn, letting its sugar quietly turn to starch in my bottom crisper drawer.

I have become resentful of peaches. Tired of standing over my kitchen sink to eat them, while the juice dribbles down my chin.

Then I encountered the oven-candied tomato. It was the best of both worlds: bursting with the final flavors of summer, while still comfortingly fall-ish. The tomatoes barely lasted 12 hours.

But it was long enough to ease the guilt. And you know what they say about guilt. It is a wasted emotion. Oh wait, that is regret. On second thought, I had better buy a bushel of tomatoes before it is too late.

Oven-Candied Tomatoes

Adapted from The Splendid Table with Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Ingredients:

10 plum tomatoes
⅓ cup olive oil
3 springs rosemary, chopped
pinch red pepper flakes
kosher salt and pepper

Instructions:

Set the oven to 400 degrees.

Slice tomatoes in half and toss with olive oil on a sheet pan. Sprinkle with rosemary and red pepper flakes. Generously season with salt and pepper.

Roast for 30 minutes and then turn oven to 350 degrees and roast for another 30 minutes. (You may need to occasionally turn the pan to ensure even cooking.)

Turn oven to 300 degrees and roast for an additional 30 minutes or until edges of tomatoes start to blacken slightly. If still not at desired doneness, turn oven to 250 degrees and roast for 10 to 15 minutes more.

Makes 20 halves

Notes:

I am hoping I will stumble across a glut of September tomatoes; they often become discounted towards the tail end of the season, if you can hold out long enough.
Theoretically, you should be able to freeze the tomatoes for a few months, should you have enough self-control to let them last that long.