Technically a fruit, but usually prepared as a vegetable, tomatoes are notoriously tricky to pair with beverages.

From the bite-sized cherry tomato to the huge beefsteak, tomatoes offer a variety of tastes and textures. On top of that, the seed-filled red orbs -- the fruits of the herbaceous tomato vine -- are highly acidic and tart.

"Fresh tomatoes are a staple of lazy summer lunches, but they prove a difficult companion to many beverages," said Gourmet magazine food editor and stylist Maggie Ruggiero.

While limited for drinks, tomatoes offer endless possibilities for summer entertaining, from the juicy tomato served with slabs of fresh mozzarella and basil to a tomato tartlet to homemade salsa.

"The rub with tomatoes is, you have to be mindful of the acid," said David Snyder, an instructor at the Wine School of Philadelphia.

For wine, the impulse is to go red for a marinara sauce. If so, go for a lower-acid wine such as zinfandel, he said. And unless you cook the sauce for at least five hours to reduce the acid, stay away from the Chianti or sangiovese.

"People serve the Chianti so they don't look stupid. But from a food chemistry perspective, it doesn't work, and it's a myth that's been pounded into our heads," said Snyder.

For uncooked tomatoes, try a soft chardonnay or a cabernet riesling, he said.

Ruggiero favors a simple beverage solution that involves fresh herbs, berries or fruit.

"My friend, Anne, is known for serving cold pitchers of water with a few sprigs of whatever strikes her fancy while in her garden -- various herbs (like lovage, mint or basil) and perhaps a couple berries or slices of fruit."

Ruggiero said her friend refers to these creative infusions served in glass pitchers as "lunch water."

"They are as beautiful as they are simple," said Ruggiero. "Tasting fresh, herbaceous and clean, the tomatoes' best friend."

If you'd rather not use the lard in the crust, you can substitute a blend of olive oil and unsalted butter. If you use a blend, aim for about a total of 1/2 cup. Sliced full-size tomatoes can be substituted for the cherry tomatoes.

CALABRIAN TOMATO TART

For the crust:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus 1 cup whole-wheat flour)

1 1/2 cups grated pecorino Romano cheese

1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 ounces lard

1/4 cup dry white wine, or more as needed

2 eggs, lightly beaten

For the topping:

3 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

2 or 3 jalapeno chiles or 1 to 2 Anaheim chiles, seeded and thinly sliced

Fleur de sel or other finishing salt

To make crust: In a food processor, combine flour, cheese, black pepper, lard, wine and all but 2 tablespoons of the eggs. Pulse briefly, adding another 1 or 2 tablespoons of wine or water if needed, to make a soft sticky dough.

Press dough into a disk, then cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line an 11-by-14-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.

Transfer dough to baking sheet, stretching it and pressing with wet fingers to cover the bottom. Brush dough with reserved egg, then arrange the tomatoes over dough.

Scatter chopped chiles around the tomatoes, pressing carefully on the tomatoes and chiles so they stick to the dough. Sprinkle with salt and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the tomatoes are wrinkled with a few black spots.

Let cool on a rack and cut into pieces to serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 4.

-- Recipe adapted from Aglaia Kremezi's "Mediterranean Hot and Spicy," Broadway Books, 2009