AUGUSTA – Roger Doiron of the Eat Local Foods Coalition of Maine doesn’t sit on the fence when it comes to his love of tomatoes.

“Lobster, sweet corn and new potatoes may be the most traditional of Maine’s summer foods, but the title of ‘most anticipated’ surely goes to the tomato,” Doiron said Friday, as ELF kicked off Maine Tomato Tasting Week, a state-sponsored event from Aug. 23 to 29.

Doiron isn’t alone in his love for tomatoes, whether it be a new hybrid or an heirloom variety.

Amy Leblanc of Whitehill Farm in East Wilton, said Friday, “A freshly picked tomato, with run-down-your-chin juice, and that deep, old-fashioned flavor we all search for, is so satisfying. Every year gardeners all over Maine vie for the first, the biggest, and the best-tasting tomato. Sometimes folks hunt for that elusive tomato variety that ‘grandma grew when I was a kid,’ and sometimes for the biggest beefsteak with slices as big as a sandwich. It’s a delicious challenge!”

Tomatoes also have become a cornerstone in Maine’s efforts to bridge the gap between farmers and consumers.

“Tomatoes are the wake-up call for a lot of people about the benefits of local foods,” said Doiron. “According to the most recent agriculture census statistics, the number of Maine farmers growing tomatoes is up by nearly 50 percent compared with five years ago. When Maine consumers buy their tomatoes from local sources, they not only help to keep Maine farmers on the land, but also keep Maine consumer dollars circulating in the local economy.”

“Tomatoes are the epitome of a seasonal and local delicacy,” Doiron said. “Try as they may, the large industrial growers out West and down South still haven’t figured out how to give a summer flavor to a winter tomato, nor to a spring or a fall one, for that matter.”

To taste the real thing picked warm, soft and fragrant from the vine, Mainers have to wait until Mother Nature says it’s tomato time, and this summer, many green tomatoes were slow to redden because of the cool, rainy conditions.

But bright-red tomatoes are ripe for picking this week and to celebrate the arrival of native tomatoes, a number of farmers, farm stands and farmers markets across the state are offering special tastings this week.

Tom Roberts of Snakeroot Organic Farm in Pittsfield grows more than 3,000 tomato plants each year, featuring 15 varieties.

“We have some favorite hybrids, but each year we grow more heirlooms as we discover features that fill the needs formerly supplied by the hybrids,” he said Friday. “Sometimes the heirlooms look a little strange to folks who are used to the red balls manufactured to industrial standards that are available in the supermarkets. So we go the extra mile to educate shoppers about what a superior tomato has in store for them.”

Roberts said that if one of his customers picks out 5 pounds of round, red, hybrid tomatoes, he’ll add in a pink Pruden’s or a long Hogheart. “More often than not, the next time they are at the stand, their 5-pound bag has been filled with the ‘weird’ tomatoes, accompanied by an excited, ‘My husband didn’t want to try them, but once he did, he ate them all!'”

Roberts said, “The rich interplay of subtle flavors, the silky smooth textures, the variations of color, shape and size all contribute to shoppers willing to stand in line in the hot sun or in the rain as the market truck is unloaded, awaiting their chance at today’s tomato adventure.”

For more information about Maine Tomato Tasting Week, see www.getrealgetmaine.com/visit/list.html.