Our memories are often about our first experiences of things. Many years ago, I was invited to join a friend’s book club. At the meeting I attended, the book “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe” was discussed and, of course, someone had made fried green tomatoes. They were piled onto an oil-stained paper plate, the kind with the wavy edges. It was buckling slightly under the weight of the tomatoes, which were served cold. This didn’t diminish their flavor in the least — the crunch of the cornmeal crust along with the slightly acidic bite of the green tomato, all brought into balance with a sprinkling of salt. I never went back to the book club but will always remember my first taste of fried green tomatoes. This summer’s cool and rainy weather is prompting many farmers to bring beautiful green tomatoes to market. Here are some ideas on how to prepare them.

Fried Green Tomatoes

• Select firm green tomatoes and cut crosswise into 1/4 to 1/2-inch slices.

• Season the slices with salt and pepper to taste.

• Taking a slice at a time, coat with beaten egg, then dredge in finely ground cornmeal.

•  Pan fry in bacon grease or vegetable oil until nicely browned, about 2 minutes a side.

Notes: Some leave out the egg, and dredge the slices directly in cornmeal. If you have problems with the crust sticking to the tomato, you can coat the slices first in flour, then dip in egg, and lastly dredge in cornmeal. The flour helps the egg adhere to the tomato slices, and sets up a good base for the cornmeal to stick to. There are numerous ways of varying the basic recipe, such as substituting buttermilk for the eggs or, as was one person’s secret, using crushed Ritz crackers for the breading.

Breaded slices of green tomatoes uncooked can also be frozen. Later, simply fry them up while still frozen. There’s some discussion online regarding whether canned slices of green tomatoes, drained and then breaded and fried, is superior to freezing them already breaded. I can’t vouch for either method but anticipate trying both to ensure a ready supply this winter. I can imagine using them in a fried green tomato and bacon sandwich, topped with a poached egg, or, in homage to eggplant parmesan, adding parmesan to the cornmeal breading and layering with tomato sauce and mozzarella. Other recipes calling specifically for green tomatoes include green tomato pie, green tomato salsa, or green tomato ketchup.