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.
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One-sentence 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.

Many coffee drinks can be made either hot or iced. Your barista may already have chilled coffee on hand, for instance, but they can also pour an espresso into cold water and ice to make an iced americano. Iced lattes and other drinks can be made in similar ways. Certain drinks don't do well in iced forms, however. Milk foam can really only be created by heating it, for instance, so iced cappuccinos don't really work. Likewise, some baristas discourage iced espressos, since the shock of the cold ice can kill the drink's flavor. Don't be afraid to ask your barista whether a drink can be made iced. Most coffee shops have a variety of syrups and other flavors available. These allow you to create everything from a vanilla latte to a mint mocha to a cinnamon spiced cappuccino. You can add flavorings to practically any drink. Baristas can also usually top your drink with whipped cream, cinnamon, chocolate powder, or other flavors. Many coffee shops feature specialized drinks made with various flavors, such as pumpkin spice lattes, or chili spiced cappuccinos. Sugar will also be available if you want to sweeten your coffee further. Your barista will be happy to add an extra shot (or two, or three) to your drink. This can make your drink richer and flavor and higher in caffeine (unless you use decaffeinated espresso). Just let your barista know that you want a "three-shot latte," for instance. Coffee shops are not always consistent in the terms they use for small, medium, and large coffees. A "small" at one shop may be a "tall" at another, and a "single" at yet another. Just ask your barista to explain your shop's lingo if you're not sure.
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One-sentence summary --
Let your barista know if you want your drink hot or iced. Decide if you want any extra sweeteners or flavors. Add extra shots, if you like. Specify the size you want.