Red, Ripe, Ready : Even commercial stores have responded to public demand for tastier fruit. Farm stands offer summer’s harvest.

The home gardener begins to salivate this time of year, in anticipation of finally slicing into fruit born of vines that have been babied for months. So what’s the big deal? We’re just talking about tomatoes here. But the home gardener knows what many others do not: There are few tastes comparable to that sweet, tangy sensation you get from biting into a succulent, home-grown gem in a ripened state.

A vine-ripened tomato is like no other. Its sugar levels are high, not having been cut short by an early harvest; its skin and flesh are a deep red.

Not so for most commercially grown varieties, which, over the years, have been compromised in the name of sturdiness and shelf life--attributes necessary for mass production. The majority have been plucked from vines while still immature and ultimately fogged with ethylene gas to hasten color development.

And summer is the time when much of that plucking of California tomatoes occurs.

Ventura County’s tomato crop--fresh market and processed varieties--was worth about $8.2 million in 1990, according to the agricultural commissioner’s latest annual crop report. Besides those varieties destined for a ketchup bottle, popular local fresh strains include the impressive Beefsteak, the smallish yet meaty Roma, and the one-bite cherry varieties.

Bob Horne, a retired Ventura Fire Department chief and an avid gardener, believes that tomatoes are the most widely grown vegetable in back yards across the nation.

“You wouldn’t be a gardener if you didn’t raise tomatoes,” he said recently.

Horne raises a wide variety of veggies at Ventura’s Cornucopia Community Garden. “They’re not difficult to grow. You need to buy tomatoes that are designed for your particular needs.”

Your local nursery can help you choose the proper strain. Horne suggested Celebrity, Ace or Early Girl brand-name seeds. “They are designed to handle a cooler climate,” he said. And it’s not too late to plant tomato seeds, Horne said. “You can start to plant the Roma type that will come off in October.

“There is absolutely no comparison between the tomatoes that are picked green--those taste like cardboard compared to a vine-ripened tomato,” he said. Enthusiasts bent on procuring nothing short of a vine-ripened tomato can once again enjoy the annual offering at area farmers’ markets and stands.

“Right now we have tons of tomatoes” said Karen Wetzel, manager of Ventura County Certified Farmers’ Markets. “We have about five different varieties available and this time of the year almost all are vine-ripened.” Wetzel manages the two Ventura markets and the Thousand Oaks installment. You’ll also find a fresh offering at the Oxnard, Camarillo and Ojai markets.

According to the Fresh Produce Council, an industry trade group, vine-ripened tomatoes are being stocked in greater quantities at commercial markets too.

“Consumer demand for a full-flavor tomato has increased the growers’ interest,” said Jan DeLyser, executive vice president of the council.

Here’s a glance at what some of the large chains are offering: Vons contracts with wholesalers that provide their stores with large vine-ripened tomatoes, which are now going for about $1.39 a pound. Watch for “The Pavillions Choice” sticker.

At Ralphs you’ll find the “Divine” tomato ($1.49 a pound), a Beefsteak variety that has been in development for about 10 years.

Hughes Market sells the Margaret Skaife brand at $1.59 a pound.

SERVING SUGGESTIONDRIED TOMATOES

Sun-dried tomatoes, once considered to be somewhat of a gourmet item, are commonplace today. Though widely available, a small bag of the shriveled fruit remains pricey--about $2 on average. Some brands cost much more.

Fond of dropping dried tomatoes into soups, salads and sauces? Here’s a simple way to oven-dry your own:

3 pounds firm, ripe Roma tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon herb seasoning (oregano, basil or any herb combination) per tomato

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Salt, optional

2 sprigs rosemary or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves, optional

1 1/4 cups olive oil (use the extra virgin--made from the first cold pressing--for a fresh olive taste.)

Wash tomatoes and slice in half lengthwise. Remove the white portion where the stem was attached. Squeeze gently to remove some of juice and seeds. Pat dry with paper towels.

Sprinkle cut tomato surfaces with herbs, garlic and salt to taste. Place halves, cut side down, on non-stick pans (do not use foil), or arrange tomatoes on wire racks placed on pans.

Bake at 300 degrees 3 to 5 hours until about 2/3 dried, or shriveled but still pliable.

Immediately place the dried tomatoes loosely in a 1- to 1 1/2-pint sterilized jar with rosemary sprigs. Pour in olive oil to cover tomatoes. Cover jar and store airtight in cool, dark, dry area or, if using extra-virgin oil, store in the fridge. Makes about 1 pint dried tomatoes.