Thick-skinned tomatoes are less likely to burst on the grill. These include Roma tomatoes, plum tomatoes, and crack resistant tomatoes. Avoid overripe, oozing tomatoes, which will drop juice and flesh through the grate. Remove excess water to shorten the grilling time and keep your tomatoes firm. Cut the tomatoes in half, then sprinkle salt on the cut sides. Place face down on a paper towel or cooking rack for 30 minutes. Even if you don't wait the full 30 minutes, drain them while the grill is warming up. Don't try this with small tomatoes. You'll lose too many flavorful juices just cutting them open. . Tomatoes grill best over high heat. Set a gas grill to high at least 15 minutes before grilling. For a charcoal grill, wait until the coals are covered in ash and you can only keep your hand near the grate for three seconds or less. Place the grate 45 inches (1013cm) above the heat source. Close the lid of the gas grill on cool or windy days. Tomatoes taste great with just a drizzle of olive oil, but extra flavor is useful if they're the centerpiece of a dish. Here are a few delicious options: Olive oil, salt, black pepper (or lemon pepper), garlic powder, ground habanero pepper. Go easy on the salt and pepper, to avoid overpowering the tomato flavor. 1 cup (240 mL) olive oil, cup (60 mL) white vinegar, cup (60 mL) sugar, and 1 tbsp (15 mL) anchovy paste. Add parsley once cooled, and top the tomatoes with feta. To turn a marinade into a crust, mash breadcrumbs into it until soggy. Top the tomato with blue cheese and cover with the breadcrumb marinade mixture. Fresh basil, minced garlic, chopped fresh basil, and a pinch each of black pepper and salt. The best approach depends on the size and juiciness of your tomatoes. The goal is to stop the pulp from dripping out, and to make the tomatoes easy to handle. Here are your options: Cut medium to large tomatoes in half for easy handling with a spatula. If you're using the "cheese crust" mentioned above, cut the top off medium or large tomatoes. Skewer small tomatoes whole on two parallel skewers, for easy turning. Place small tomatoes in a grill basket. Preheat the basket on the grill for a few minutes. Wrap a mound of juicy tomatoes in aluminum foil, crimping tightly to seal in juices. (Brush with marinade first.) For best results, let the tomatoes soak in the marinade for at least twenty minutes. If you're planning ahead, they can soak in the fridge overnight. If you're in a hurry, just brush the marinade onto the cut side of the tomatoes, or onto the whole surface if the tomatoes are uncut. You'll still get some flavor, and the oil will help prevent sticking on the grate. For extra flavor, let the tomatoes soak in the marinade for a couple hours, or even overnight. Place halved tomatoes cut side down on the grill, and leave them in place until ready. When grilling whole tomatoes, rotate whenever they start to drip. Keep a close eye on the tomatoes the whole time. Move them to a cooler spot on the grill if one of them bursts. Use a metal spatula instead of tongs, to avoid mashing the tomatoes. For the "cheese crust" method, grill with the cheese on top instead. Grill until the tomatoes shrivel and develop a few black spots. This usually takes 510 minutes, depending on tomato size and grill temperature. When grilling foil-wrapped tomatoes, you can wait until they burst into a hot, caramelized mess. This takes about 18 minutes. Optionally, paint on more marinade halfway through.

Summary: Choose tomatoes. Drain tomatoes (optional). Preheat the grill Make the marinade (optional). Decide how to cut the tomatoes. Let soak in marinade. Position the tomatoes. Grill until lightly charred.

If you've decided to be a Renaissance person, you've got a long reading list ahead of you. You don't have to read everything in a day. Start small, and spend 20 minutes reading something different each day. You can alternate days to get through the various textbooks, novels, newspapers, etc. that you're reading. If you have time and you want to, read for longer! The more hours you dedicate to becoming a Renaissance person, the farther along you'll get on your quest. Since you won't necessarily have time to work out on days when you have a full school or workday, take advantage of down time. Plan to do your more intense workouts on those days. Even on busy days, 10-15 minutes of exercise is better than zero minutes. Travel time can be used for learning, too! Turn your commute into a classroom by picking audio content that interests you. This'll help you start and end your workday on the right foot. Try NPR's Politics Podcast for an in-depth review of the American political scene. The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe is a fun way to learn about science, and it promotes critical thinking. The Moth is also an interesting option for those interested in literature and storytelling. Since your artwork may feel like a hobby or something you do for fun, it could be harder to find time for this than for exercise or reading. Use the time you'd usually spend relaxing in front a mindless show or movie to relax productively. Renaissance people are curious and always looking for new ways to learn. Get out there and explore. When a new museum or restaurant opens up in your town, be the first through the doors.
Summary: Read for at least 20 minutes a day. Schedule a few hours on your off day for exercise. Listen to podcasts or audiobooks when you're on the move. Make art instead of vegging out in front of the TV. Use your off-days to explore and see new things.