I could marry a tomato.
Or name my one of my kids Caprese.
Thankfully I am the daughter of a suburban farmer who grows more tomatoes than even I can eat.
Nothing from any store or farmer's market can come close to comparing with eating a fresh picked tomato still warm from the sun.
Don't get me started on the heirlooms.
Because I will not stop.
Or the SunGold cherry tomatoes.
Better than candy. Janey and I can take down an entire bowl in minutes. Sadly, yet thankfully we are the only two family members with a love for the tomato goodness. Because we aren't so good at sharing.
But the prom queen of them all is when you combine them into perfection that goes by the name
Caprese Salad.
My summer staple. Lunch. Dinner. Snack. For no reason.
Caprese. Caprese. Caprese.
I would take a plate of it over a plate of toffee crack. That is saying a lot. It may or may not have something to do with Root Canalaganza 2010. But that is neither here nor there.
Back to my love. My Caprese.
Simple. Pure. Blissful.
All you need is a few minutes and a few ingredients.
Sliced fresh mozzarella
Sliced tomatoes
Rough chopped basil
Salt & pepper (ideally sea salt and fresh ground pepper)
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar (technically optional, but if you ask me, totally required.)
Layer. Sprinkle. Pour. Eat.
As often as you can.
Because there are only a few more tomato days of summer left.
For that I will request a moment of silence.
yummm! that looks delicious :) sorry your dentist is the worst person to ever walk the planet.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my faves as well! I could eat it everyday :)
ReplyDeleteyum!
ReplyDeleteooh i love a good fresh tomato:)
ReplyDeletesmiles,
gina
Did you just say you're married to a suburban farmer??? That's MY husband, too! We have 12 tomato plants this year... just 12... we've had more in the past. But I'm not complaining either. Those pictures were so yummy! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite as well! We just had one with our dinner tonight and I am planning on making another tomorrow night. I can't get enough when it comes to summer tomatoes. The days are numbered. :(
ReplyDeleteYum, yum, extra yum. We love our homegrown tomatoes too- there is NO substitute, for real. :)
ReplyDeletexoxox Holly
Mmmm, I love tomatoes too! Sadly, the stinkbugs like my garden tomatoes too! I can eat grape tomatoes like candy.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Lorilee
Because you introduced the deliciousness of chocolate peanut butter bugles to me, can I introduce a tomato variation to you?
ReplyDeleteIn Greece, I ate the second most delish tomato combo. Tomatoes, olive oil, feta, oregano. Chop up all and combine, squeezing tomatoes to get all the juiciness everywhere.
Eat all the tomatoes and feta. Then dip bread in the tomato juice/oregano/olive oil goodness.
This is my FAVORITE! My hubby doesn't like raw tomatoes, so I typically make this all for myself :)
ReplyDeleteThat looks so delicious!!
ReplyDeleteI eat tomatoes like apples. Growing up I would hoover in the kitchen so I could get the end of the tomatoes my mom would be cutting. Sprinkle a little salt and savor every last bite.
ReplyDeleteGreat, now I am hungry!
LOVE this post
ReplyDeletei'm right there with ya, sister. one of my most favorite things ever and i love them best exactly how you described but instead of a regular balsamic vinegar try a balsamic vinegar glaze...it is delish! oh, now i totally want this!
ReplyDeleteMouth.Watering. OMG that looks delish. I'm a lover of cucumber-tomato-italian dressing mix & this sounds like a new favorite. I have a sweet basil plant in my kitchen. Will it work?
ReplyDeletei'm quite certain i could survive on tomatoes as long as they are home grown. well, tomatoes and coffee. at different meals of course.
ReplyDeleteour tomatoes season is over already. darn az heat. i'm still in mourning.
where is the like button?
ReplyDeletetruly delish.
ooooh yummy. i love caprese. tomatoes warm from the vine are my fave.
ReplyDeleteCaprese salad is the best ever! And, the only tomatoes (besides heirloom) that I use are Early Girl. They are the BEST EVER! Deep, deep red & full of flavor. YUM!
ReplyDeletekindred spirits you and I, kindred tomato loving spirits.
ReplyDeleteDrooling! Love me some caprese!
ReplyDeleteYes please! :)
ReplyDeleteYUM tomatoes! I grew up living next door to my grandma, who grew the best tomatoes ever... and the neighbor on the other side of our family had cherry tomatoes... she used to sneak us while we were out playing in the yard. I just got a (small) bag of home grown ones from my uncle... they're wonderful. mmm.
Tomato is my favorite food and caprese is my favorite salad...and sandwich. Yummo!!! Sure...you post my fav. food when I'm trying to lose 10 lbs! ;)
ReplyDeleteMy all time face! Just had a Caprese sandwich on olive bread at my sister-in-law's restaurant tonite, sooo good! If that's all I ever had to eat the rest if my life (well, that and their homemade premium ice cream) I so could! :)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFave, not face and of my life, not if! Silly iPhone! Sorry for the post to the post to the post!
ReplyDeletetomatoes are my absolute favorite!!! and if the sun didn't get a chance to warm 'em that day, then tossing those cherry tom's in a coffee can with holes poked in it & then run under a warm faucet is the next best thing. just how my grandpa did it. =)
ReplyDeletesadly tomatoes are one of my highest allergies. am trying to figure it out with my allergist cause i don't think i can continue living without them....no lie. i especially can't live without caprese salad OR tomato sandwiches!!! they're my own crack-cocaine....but also my kryptonite! =(
no kidding. 3 of my most loved things in life are tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil... oh and olive oil (so ... 4 things)
ReplyDeleteseriously. I could not live without them.
in fact ... I'm having this for lunch today:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/appetizers-and-snacks/caprese-kabobs/
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletethat looks very delicious...I would be the only one in my house eating it though!
ReplyDeleteahhh...tomatoes...one of my favs too ! My grandpa always grew them in his garden...and nothing in the store came close to his tomato ...yummo.
ReplyDeleteMy absolute fav...(probably a "southern" thing) is a tomato sandwich.Wheat bread, mayo and slices of tomatoes...the best !
Enjoy your tomato !
A summer favorite for me too!
ReplyDeleteyum.yum.yum. Your making me hungry!
ReplyDeleteYum. I love garden tomatoes. In fact they are the only ones I will eat. The ones at the store make me gag. Literally.
ReplyDeleteI never liked tomatoes until I went to Italy and tasted them in their true glory :) I make bruschetta...the best you have ever had :) I put it on everything...baguettes, eggs, pitas, tacos...whatever. Its that good :) I love tomatoes now, eat them all the time :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think I can relate on this one. Sure glad you love them though :) I love fresh salsa from fresh tomatos. And I like tomatos on things...but that is about it :)
ReplyDeleteTomatoes are truly one of my favorite foods ever.
ReplyDeleteI wish I lived close enough for you to learn to share with. =)
tomatoes suck.
ReplyDeletejust so you know, i had to drop everything, force lily into the car, drag my huge baby belly and go to the grocery store for everything single item in this post. i then proceeded to make a plate full and eat it all standing up, without taking a breath.
ReplyDeleteall better now, thank you!
yum
One of my favs too! And LauraC commented about tomatoes, feta, evoo, and oregano... I agree, so good. But try the above roasted! I use plum tomatoes, sprinkle with evoo, salt, pepper, oregano and feta and then broil until the cheese gets all bubbly and a little browned. Oh my goodness! heaven on a tomato! Seriously!
ReplyDeletewell if i have to make the french fry pizza for you...you have to make this for me :) ...you just made me drool onto my keyboard!
ReplyDeleteMmmm ... I've been enjoying the same combination all summer ... mozzarella, tomato and basil. So good. Have you tried the "Buffalo Mozzarella" from Costco? SO good, pricey, but good. Then they have the small 'fresh mozzarella' ball for like $4.99 (hello!!) which are perfect for throwing together a caprese salad.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you ... except I think I would take a plate of this FOLLOWED by a bowl of toffee crack!
MMMMMMMMMMM I want that!!
ReplyDelete