Spring is in the Air...

To me, flowers don't signal the return of spring, it is the aroma of fresh basil growing, the fragrance of rosemary, the splendor of dill, that let's us know it is salad time. Fortunately for most of us, these fresh herbs are available in most national grocery stores on a daily basis, but nothing takes the place of growing these herbs in your own backyard. I had a basil plant on my deck in a flowerpot last year that I would swear was on steroids. This plant just grew and grew, and grew. I would pick it, make some pesto sauce, and two days later, it was full again. Unfortunately, in the climate where I live, it's hard to grow it year round.

When we are smack in the middle of the winter doldrums, with the cold weather turning us into Eskimos, the snow banks higher than the houses, the black ice tormenting our drivers, I like to head to the grocery store, pick up some fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, and some hot house tomatoes and make a Caprese Salad (fancy term for what we always called tomatoes and mozzarella.)

The beautiful blending of all the colors (see Aunt Jean, I paid attention) resembles the Italian flag, the melding of the red from the tomatoes, the white from the mozzarella, and the green from the basil, blend together and bring life, and most importantly, aroma to the flag of Italy. I think being of Italian descent has allowed me to be blessed with such a wonderful culinary palate. I often marvel at how the women in my family could take a few basic ingredients and turn them into an epicurean masterpiece, worthy of any culinary "Academy Awards." If there was an Oscar or Emmy for homemade foods, my grandmothers, mother, and aunts would have blown away the competition year after year.

They were never stressed when they cooked a meal, they just went into the kitchen and they created. They never measured, they just knew instinctively what to put in, and how much to put in. I must thank my mother for passing that gene, along with the one for the photographic memory. Our dear friend Steve


tells me he is always amazed how I can go in the kitchen and whip up so many different meals, with no effort, no stress, and make it look easy. It is easy...just go with the flow, taste as you go, and follow your nose...as your food starts to come together, your nose will let you know you are on the right track.

In this recipe for the Caprese Salad, the aroma of the fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced onions, and the most fragrant of all, the freshly chopped basil will waft up to your nose, and tingle the sensors, your mouth will water, andyour tummy will be satiated!

Caprese Salad

4 tomatoes cut in thin slices
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in thirds
Salt and pepper to taste, (if you prefer a stronger garlic taste you can use a little garlic salt in combination with the regular salt)
Lots of fresh basil, finely chopped
1/2 - 1 teaspoon oregano
1 medium red onion thinly sliced in circles
Olive oil
Mozzarella cheese cut in round slices
A few ice cubes

Take a few pieces of the garlic, cut side down, and rub the garlic into your serving platter. This will help infuse the garlic into the dish. Count the number of pieces of garlic you are using to remove before serving. Slice the tomatoes in round ¼-inch slices, and arrange on a serving platter alternating with the slices of mozzarella (overlap slightly). Add red onions, cut in thin circles over the tomato/mozzarella platter. Place the pieces of garlic on top. Add lots of fresh basil. Sprinkle with oregano and salt (if you are not serving immediately, don't add the salt until right before you serve it or the tomatoes will get mushy) and pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil right before serving. Toss on a few ice cubes and refrigerate until serving time. Remove garlic before serving.

This recipe is great for a barbeque, or to bring to a covered dish (don't add the oil and salt until you are ready to serve it.)

Here are the ingredients you will need for the recipe:


Caprese Salad

4 tomatoes cut in thin slices
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in thirds
Salt and pepper to taste, (if you prefer a stronger garlic taste you can use a little garlic salt in combination with the regular salt)
Lots of fresh basil, finely chopped
1/2 - 1 teaspoon oregano
1 medium red onion thinly sliced in circles
Olive oil
Mozzarella cheese cut in round slices
A few ice cubes

Peel the garlic and cut into halves or thirds
depending on the size of the cloves
Remember to count the number of cloves


Take a few pieces of the garlic, cut side down,
and rub the garlic into your serving platter
Set the garlic aside


Peel the red onion


Slice the red onion into paper-thin circles





Wash your basil


Place on a sheet of paper towelling to dry
Cover with another piece of paper towelling

When dry, stack the leaves


Roll the leaves into a pencil shape
cut the stems



Slice the log of basil thinly (called a ciffonade)


Set the basil aside

Slice the tomatoes in round ¼-inch slices,
or to the thickness you prefer



Slice the mozzarella into round pieces
if your store carries Bel Gioioso, they carry a
fresh mozzarella that is already presliced into 16 slices



I count the number of slices and slice the tomatoes
into the same number of slices as the cheese

I prefer to use a round serving platter
if you have one, but any platter will work

Arrange on a serving platter alternating the tomato slices
with the slices of mozzarella (overlap slightly) in a circular pattern
starting in the middle





and working out to the edges
don't worry if you see gaps on the platter
when you are all finished, it will be perfect


On this particular plate, I didn't have enough room for the last
row as the platter wasn't wide enough, so I cut the
tomatoes and mozzarella in half to make it fit...
It fit perfectly, and the platter looked beautiful!



and continued on the outside of the platter
to make the final row

Note: If you are having a large crowd, you can use half
slices for the whole platter ot do two platters


Place the pieces of garlic on top



Separate the red onions into individual circles
Add red onions over
the tomato/mozzarella mix


Add the fresh basil chiffonade


Sprinkle with oregano


and pepper to taste
(if you are serving immediately add salt now)



Toss on a few ice cubes
a few whole basil leaves in the center


Cover with Saran Wrap


and refrigerate until serving time


add salt (if you are not serving immediately,
don't add the salt until right before you serve
it or the tomatoes will get mushy)



Drizzle with olive oil right before serving


Remove garlic before serving

Enjoy!