Summer is here and with it come the heat and humidity. All the signs of summer abound on the streets of Tokyo: the ubiquitous handkerchief towel grasped in people's hands as they walk and wipe their sweat drenched faces; the dainty parasols toted by mostly older Japanese ladies; the kakigori (shaved ice) and ice cream banners hanging storefront; and for me, the ultimate sound of summer, the sonorous singing of the cicada.

What to eat in this summer heat? We've been eating cold noodles-soba, hiyamugi and ramen-but I've been craving pasta. Thanks to a small harvest of our rooftop planter-grown cherry tomatoes and a thriving basil plant, a quick and simple lunch was at hand. The cherry tomatoes on their own raw were a tad tart, but slightly sauteed in olive oil, they transformed into cherry bombs of sweetness. Summer is good!

Cherry Tomatoes and Basil Pasta

This is not a saucy pasta dish.

Serves 2

150 g spaghetti

1 garlic clove, chopped

About 12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

About 1/4 cup of basil leaves

Parmesan cheese

Boil the spaghetti in a pot of salted water until al dente. Save about a half cup of the pasta boiling water. Drain pasta and set aside. In the same pot, on low heat, saute the chopped garlic in about 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Just before the garlic starts browning, turn up the heat to medium high and add in the cherry tomatoes and basil leaves. Add some salt and pepper and toss gently for about a minute or two. Add the pasta and a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water and toss gently. Add a bit more pasta water if the noodles start sticking to the pan. Sprinkle over a bit more olive oil and serve with some grated parmesan.

I adore a good burger. This one is simple, but you do need to make your own hamburger buns, it really makes all the difference. These buns are not too soft and squishy and can stand up to the multiple layerings of a burger. Make a double batch of the buns and stick them in the freezer -- good advice from the author of the recipe below.

The beef and pork patties are flavored with a touch of kecap manis, a sweet, thick Indonesian soy sauce, which I just discovered thanks to Chubby Hubby, a must-read food blog, not to be mistaken for my lovable hubby. Enjoy!

Sesame Hamburger Buns

Adapted from Baking Bread: Old and New Traditions by Beth Hensperger

Makes 12 rolls

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 3/4 cups warm water

1/3 cup instant nonfat dried milk

2 tablespoons sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 1/2-5 cups bread flour

1 egg, beaten with a touch of water, for glazing buns before baking

1/4 cup sesame seeds (white or black or both)

In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup of the warm water. Stir to dissolve and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.

In a mixer bowl, add the remaining 1 1/4 cups of warm water, dried milk, sugar, salt and butter. With the paddle attachment, mix the ingredients together briefly. Add 2 cups of the flour and beat on medium until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft, shaggy dough forms and clears the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for about 3 minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth. Place in a greased, deep bowl, turn once to coat the top and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until double in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Turn the dough onto the work surface, and divide it into 12 equal portions. Form each into a tight ball by rolling it on the work surface with a cupped hand over the dough. Place balls on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball with the palm of your hand. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until puffy, about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush each dough ball with the egg glaze and sprinkle the surface with sesame seeds. Bake until the rolls are golden brown and firm to the touch, about 20-25 minutes. Place on a rack to cool before slitting each roll in half.

Kecap Burgers

Makes 4 patties

350 g (12 oz.) ground beef and pork

1 teaspoon kecap manis

1/2 shallot, chopped finely (about 1/4 cup)

2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro

1 egg (leftover from the egg wash above)

Pinch of salt and pepper

4 slices of cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients together well and form into 4 thin patties.

Heat a frying pan and add scant olive or vegetable oil. Toast the inside of each hamburger bun and set aside.

Add scant oil to the pan and fry the hamburger patties over medium high heat until well browned on both sides and juices run clear.

Add a slice of cheddar cheese on the top of each patty and let melt before removing them from the pan to the toasted buns.

Serve the burgers with arugula, sliced tomatoes, finely sliced shallots and your favorite condiment. I made a quick sauce with a combination of mayonnaise, kecap, ketchup and yellow mustard and smeared it on one side of the burger bun.