It's Killer Tomato time again

Fry said he was inspired by the quality and variety of heirloom tomatoes coming to his kitchen from local farmers in the summer.

But the idea of a festival named for the 1978 B movie spoof, "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes," was all about having a good time.

"I love all the food events we have around Atlanta," Fry said. "They're a lot of fun, but I wanted to do one where chefs could come and be really relaxed and get a little crazy. I wanted to have a tomato party."

To that end, there's live music and beer, and each chef is paired with a farmer to create a special tomato dish for sampling, while mixologists craft a variety of tomato cocktails.

Dishes, drinks and table decorations are judged by a celebrity panel. This year, that includes Garden & Gun deputy editor Dave Mezz, Esquire restaurant feature writer John Mariani, and actor David Miller, who played Mason Dixon in the movie.

Gerry Klaskala, chef/owner of Aria restaurant in Atlanta, calls Georgia tomato season the "sweet spot."

"To truly know what a tomato is all about, you need to savor a just-picked local tomato," Klaskala said. "Tomatoes are one of the few things people will go to the trouble to grow in their backyard — and with good reason. To go out and a pick a tomato off the plant, slice it and put it on a sandwich is the sublime tomato experience."

Klaskala will be returning to the festival, along with Drew Belline of No. 246, Brent Banda of La Tavola Trattoria and mixologists Paul Calvert of Pura Vida and Brian Stanger of Woodfire Grill.

We asked them to share some tomato dishes and drinks to get the party started.

Event

Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival, 1-5 p.m. July 22. Tickets $70, https://www.xorbia.com/e/gao/killertomato12. JCT Kitchen, 1198 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta, 404-355-2252.

Recipes

These recipes celebrate the ripe, juicy, fresh-picked joys of summer tomato season.

Tomato and Bread Soup

Hands on: 15 minutes Total time: 45 minutes Serves: 6

This simple Italian-style soup highlights the flavor of ripe tomatoes.

1/4 cup good-quality olive oil, plus extra for serving

3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

5 pounds very ripe red tomatoes, cores removed and quartered

1/2 loaf country French bread, trimmed of crusts and cut into 2-inch cubes

1/2 cup fresh basil, minced

kosher salt

1/2 pint whole milk ricotta

In a large heavy bottom saucepot over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic and cook briefly for 30 seconds, but do not brown. Add tomatoes and their juices and bring to a simmer. Add bread cubes and cook on low heat for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and pass through a food mill or food processor until smooth. Return to the saucepot and bring to a simmer to warm, add basil and adjust seasoning with kosher salt.

To serve:

Ladle soup into bowls and top each serving with a spoonful of ricotta and a swirl of olive oil.

Per serving: 349 calories (percent of calories from fat, 47), 11 grams protein, 37 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 19 grams fat (5 grams saturated), 21 milligrams cholesterol, 316 milligrams sodium.

Adapted from chef/owner Gerry Klaskala of Aria.

Burrata With Charred Sungold Tomatoes, African Blue Basil and Tomato Vinaigrette

Hands on: 30 minutes Total time: 40 minutes plus time for cooling

Serves: 4

This is a modern take on a caprese salad. The ingredients can be found at the local farmers markets or at Whole Foods stores. If you can't find burrata, bufala mozzarella or a well-made cow's milk mozzarella will work.

1 pound burrata or fresh mozzarella cheese

2 cups sungold tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

3 sprigs thyme

salt and pepper

1/2 cup tomato liquid reserved from roasting tomatoes

1/2 cup good quality red wine vinegar

1 cup good quality olive oil

1 bunch of African Blue or other large leaf basil

cracked black pepper

To roast the tomatoes:

Preheat oven to 450. Toss 2 cups of tomatoes in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sliced garlic, sprigs of thyme, salt and pepper. Place in 10-inch skillet and roast for 20 minutes or until the tops of the tomatoes start to turn dark. Strain and reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid from the roasted tomatoes and then cool the tomatoes to room temperature.

To make the tomato vinaigrette:

In a food processor or blender, mix 1/2 cup of tomato liquid reserved from the roasted tomatoes and 1/2 cup red wine vinegar, and slowly drizzle in 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside 2 tablespoons for the salad and reserve the rest of the vinaigrette for another use.

To serve:

Tear the burrata into 1 ounce pieces, top with a pinch of salt and divide evenly among four serving plates. Top burrata with roasted tomatoes. Tear basil into large pieces and arrange over the tomatoes and mozzarella. Drizzle with tomato vinaigrette and finish with cracked black pepper.

Per serving: 922 calories (percent of calories from fat, 85), 25 grams protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 89 grams fat (26 grams saturated), 101 milligrams cholesterol, 533 milligrams sodium.

Adapted from executive chef Brent Banda of La Tavola Trattoria.

Tomato Brodo With Tortellini, Olive Oil and Basil

Hands on: 20 minutes Total time: 40 minutes plus overnight for the broth

Serves: 10

This flavorful brodo is an Italian-style broth made by extracting the liquid from heirloom tomatoes.

6 large ripe heirloom tomatoes, approximately 8 pounds

3 cloves of garlic

2 cups young basil, stems removed, plus extra basil for garnish

juice of one lemon

salt and pepper to taste

9 ounces cooked homemade or fresh packaged tortellini

good quality olive oil for serving

1 cup peeled tomatoes, diced for serving

cracked black pepper for serving

Cut the tomatoes into large pieces. Add the garlic, basil and lemon juice to the bowl of a food processor and lightly pulse the ingredients until they are just chopped. Place a large piece of cheesecloth in a large non-reactive bowl. Ladle the tomato mixture into the center of the cheesecloth and tie opposite ends to make a tight bundle. Slip a wooden spoon or skewer through the top of the bundle and hang over the bowl. Refrigerate overnight to allow all of the liquid to drain. You will be left with a very clear intensely flavored tomato broth. When ready to serve, gently warm the liquid and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve:

Ladle warm broth into bowls, add a few cooked tortellini to each bowl and finish with olive oil, basil, diced tomatoes and cracked pepper.

Per serving: 220 calories (percent of calories from fat, 36), 8 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 9 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 17 milligrams cholesterol, 177 milligrams sodium.

Adapted from executive chef/co-owner Drew Belline of No. 246:

Rio Rosa Swizzle

Hands on: 15 minutes Total time: 15 minutes plus time for cooling

Serves: 1

The drink is named for Brazil's Rio Rosa and the strange pink dolphins that live there.

For the tomato syrup:

5 ripe medium heirloom tomatoes

1 cup cane sugar

2 tablespoons water

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 ounce fresh-squeezed and strained lemon juice

For the cocktail:

1 1/2 ounces young aged rum, such as Berkshire Mountain Distillers Ragged Mountain, Oronoco or Banks 5-Island

3/4 ounce fresh lime juice, strained

3/4 ounce tomato syrup, recipe below

1/2 ounce John D. Taylor Velvet Falernum

2 dashes Angostura bitters

crushed ice

1 lime wheel

1 sprig lemon verbena

To make the tomato syrup:

Place heirloom tomatoes in a blender and blend well. Strain through a chinoise or sieve and set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt cane sugar and water until it begins to brown and caramelize, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly add red wine vinegar a little at a time so that it does not scorch (you're essentially making a gastrique). Once well blended and somewhat cool, add lemon juice. Once completely cool, blend with strained tomato mixture. Bottle and keep cold. The syrup should keep for one week, refrigerated.

To make the cocktail:

Add rum, lime juice, tomato syrup, John D. Taylor Velvet Falernum and Angostura bitters in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a Collins glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a lime wheel and a sprig of lemon verbena or any other citric herb. Serve with a long straw.

Adapted from mixologist Paul Calvert of Pura Vida

Per serving: 162 calories (percent of calories from fat, 1), trace protein, 8 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 1 milligram sodium.

"Gin TNT"

This is a cold tomato pickle shrub with tonic and gin.

Hands on: 15 minutes Total time: 15 minutes plus overnight for pickling

Serves: 1

For the tomato pickle:

1 Roma tomato

1/2 teaspoon pickling spice

3 ounces white vinegar

3 ounces water

For the cocktail:

2 ounces of London dry gin

1 lime wedge

1 tomato pickle slice

3 ounces tonic water, such as Fever Tree

ice

To make the tomato pickle: Quarter tomato and leave the skin on. Pack tomato in a small jar and leave an inch of space at the top. Add pickling spice, 3 ounces vinegar and 3 ounces of water. Seal and refrigerate overnight.

To make the cocktail: In a standard 10-ounce rocks glass, squeeze lime wedge into the glass and drop it in. Add 2 ounces London dry gin, 1 tomato pickle slice. Add ice and top with tonic. Stir and serve.

Adapted from mixologist Brian Stanger of Woodfire Grill

Per serving: 183 calories (percent of calories from fat, 2), trace protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 6 milligrams sodium.