The Devil Made Me Do It

It's not my fault - the devil made me buy this ripe tomato from afar. My Beloved had purchased a nice big round of fresh mozzarella, no doubt dreaming of warm weather - which seems fickle here this year - so when the devil leaned over my left shoulder and whispered, "Caprese salad, honey," I caved.

We don't have basil this year - it doesn't like our combination of scouring sea winds and neglectful watering, so instead I planted a hardier bunch of herbs - dependable chives, fuzzy sage in its own fur coat, down-and-dirty thyme and determined oregano. I used a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette and a sprinkle of the fresh oregano from the garden to dress the salad.

It was devilishly good.

Cheating the Season

Okay, I admit it - I bought cherry tomatoes imported from Mexico to hurry along the summer season. Usually, I try to eat locally and seasonally and this year I planted my own cherry tomato bush, but this time I just had to. You see, my oregano, planted as a tiny sprig a month or so ago, is now a healthy plant threatening to outgrow its side of the pot it shares with the tomato and other herbs, so I needed to pinch it back. It reminds me of a six year-old boy - a little too eager and aggressive, but delightful just the same.

I decided to make a caprese salad using the oregano tips rather than the more traditional basil and we actually liked it even better. The vinaigrette was simple - just a tablespoon of Dijon mustard whisked with a similar amount of Meyer lemon juice, a squeezed clove of garlic and about twice the amount of olive oil, plus the minced oregano.

I may have rushed the tomato season a bit, but it was worth it.

Welcome Back, Old Friend

Here's a salad we haven't been able to enjoy since 'way long ago last fall when the last of the ripe, locally grown heirloom tomatoes was available. Good old caprese salad, with colorful tomatoes plus fresh mozzarella* and basil, drizzled with a little balsamic vinaigrette. Oh, yum! Welcome back! We missed you!

*I learned a new trick since the last time I made this - use an egg slicer, the kind with the thin, thin wires, to cut the mozzarella. Much tidier than trying to cut that soft, squishy cheese by hand!