Farmers' market find

SUMMER STOCK Already jonesing for tomato season? It won’t hit for a few more weeks or so, but luckily, Chris Covelli of southwest Wisconsin’s Tomato Mountain Farm thinks ahead. Covelli’s crew put up its organic tomatoes at their peak during last summer’s harvest, in the form of salsas, pasta sauces and a vibrant Bloody Mary mix spiked with fresh jalapeños. His simple roasted tomato soup (enriched with homegrown shallots and organic olive oil) is great chilled gazpacho-style, and the unique sweet-tomato preserves are mighty tasty, too. “Our customers use it to glaze meats for grilling, and moms put it on grilled cheese sandwiches,” says Rowan Patk, who mans the market booth. “But I just love it on toast.” She’s even heard of people using tomato preserves as a cheesecake topping, a dessert that sounds diverting enough to get us through till fresh tomato season. $9 per quart for gazpacho, $5 per half-pint tomato preserves at Daley Plaza Farmers’ Market (Washington and Dearborn Sts). Thu 7am–3pm.—Lisa Futterman