Farmers laid a massive blanket of tomatoes to dry in the sizzling sun in Izmir, Turkey, Thursday. /VCG Photo

Sun-dried tomatoes are a regional specialty of Mediterranean countries. /VCG Photo

To make Mediterranean-style sun-dried tomatoes, ripe tomatoes are picked, cut in half and sulphured or salted before getting a week-long sun bath. /VCG Photo

Seasonal workers are hired to pick, transport and process the tomatoes. /VCG Photo