Of all the beautiful bounty of produce, there is one priceless gem that stands above all others for me, and that jewel is a fresh, in-season, outdoor-grown tomato. There is a very small window for Portlanders to get our hands on these pure, juicy red tomatoes. During this three-month run, I can about 3,000 pounds of tomatoes to use in our sauces during the winter—this is the true heart of our recipes. Tomato season starts with colorful, sweet cherry tomatoes, moving into Early Girls, Romas, and finally heirlooms. All contain lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant in the tomato skins. This chapter walks you through drying and powdering the skins, which can then be used in many ways for later consumption—dried tomato skin powder is a great thickening agent for sauces.