Thread: Lunch - Caprese

Paul M. Cook wrote:
> Pretty decent organic tomatoes at the market yesterday so I grabbed some.
> So lunch was caprese. I got some decent fresh mozzarella from TJs, sliced
> the tomatoes and arranged them in a ring with the mozz and leaves of fresh
> basil from my garden picked seconds earlier. Salt, pepper and EVO.
>
> Man, that is some good eating. So aromatic and tasty.
>
>


It's one of our favorites. If I don't have fresh mozzarella at home
it's also good with mild goat cheese as a substitute or feta in a real
pinch.

gloria p

"Gloria P" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> Paul M. Cook wrote:
>> Pretty decent organic tomatoes at the market yesterday so I grabbed some.
>> So lunch was caprese. I got some decent fresh mozzarella from TJs,
>> sliced the tomatoes and arranged them in a ring with the mozz and leaves
>> of fresh basil from my garden picked seconds earlier. Salt, pepper and
>> EVO.
>>
>> Man, that is some good eating. So aromatic and tasty.
>
>
> It's one of our favorites. If I don't have fresh mozzarella at home it's
> also good with mild goat cheese as a substitute or feta in a real pinch.
>

I just may try the feta cheese since I usually have it. With a squeeze of
lemon, perhaps.

Paul

On Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:53:20 -0600, Gloria P <[email protected]>
shouted from the highest rooftop:

>Paul M. Cook wrote:
>> Pretty decent organic tomatoes at the market yesterday so I grabbed some.
>> So lunch was caprese. I got some decent fresh mozzarella from TJs, sliced
>> the tomatoes and arranged them in a ring with the mozz and leaves of fresh
>> basil from my garden picked seconds earlier. Salt, pepper and EVO.
>>
>> Man, that is some good eating. So aromatic and tasty.
>>
>
>It's one of our favorites. If I don't have fresh mozzarella at home
>it's also good with mild goat cheese as a substitute or feta in a real
>pinch.

Sometimes I'll add some black olives (Greek or Spanish depending on my
mood) to the feta, maybe some thinly sliced red onion and, if I'm
taking it to eat on the beach, a few anchovies.

--

una cerveza mas por favor ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~
Wax-up and drop-in of Surfing's Golden Years: <http://www.surfwriter.net>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

On Jul 13, 5:24*pm, "Paul M. Cook" <pmc...@gte.net> wrote:
> Pretty decent organic tomatoes at the market yesterday so I grabbed some.
> So lunch was caprese. *I got some decent fresh mozzarella from TJs, sliced
> the tomatoes and arranged them in a ring with the mozz and leaves of fresh
> basil from my garden picked seconds earlier. *Salt, pepper and EVO.
>
> Man, that is some good eating. *So aromatic and tasty.

Yum! One of my favorite ways to use tomatoes. Also good with a little
balsamic for a change once in a while.

Kris

"Paul M. Cook" ha scritto nel messaggio
> Pretty decent organic tomatoes at the market yesterday so I grabbed some.
> > So lunch was caprese. I got some decent fresh mozzarella from TJs,
> sliced the tomatoes and arranged them in a ring with the mozz and leaves
> of fresh > basil from my garden picked seconds earlier. Salt, pepper and
> EVO.
>
> Man, that is some good eating. So aromatic and tasty.

Last week I had visitors from Peru here. I took them to the buffalo farm
and we watched the mozzarella being formed then toted 600 grams home with
us, With some tomatoes-- not local yet-- and basil from my pots and some
Umbrian oil, everyone was happy. Next morning they both had the two balls
left over for breakfast.

There are lots of good things in the world, but none of them are actually
better than mozzarella bufala just 7 hours old.

"bob in nz" ha scritto nel messaggio
Gloria P > shouted from the highest rooftop:
>
>>Paul M. Cook wrote:
>>> So lunch was caprese. I got some decent fresh mozzarella from TJs,
>>> sliced >> the tomatoes and arranged them in a ring with the mozz and
>>> leaves of fresh
>>> basil from my garden picked seconds earlier. Salt, pepper and EVO.

>>It's one of our favorites. If I don't have fresh mozzarella at home
>> >>it's also good with mild goat cheese as a substitute or feta in a real
>> >>pinch.
>
> Sometimes I'll add some black olives (Greek or Spanish depending on my>
> mood) to the feta, maybe some thinly sliced red onion and, if I'm
> taking it to eat on the beach, a few anchovies.

I love Greek salad, and that's just what I eat in Greece, as you described.
It can't be Caprese, because they do not have feta in Capri.

Paul M. Cook wrote:

> Pretty decent organic tomatoes at the market yesterday so I grabbed
> some. So lunch was caprese. I got some decent fresh mozzarella from
> TJs, sliced the tomatoes and arranged them in a ring with the mozz
> and leaves of fresh basil from my garden picked seconds earlier. Salt,
> pepper and EVO.
> Man, that is some good eating. So aromatic and tasty.

Caprese is really a wonderful dish, so easy to arrange and so really
wonderful.
If you happen to find some, try adding a pinch of chopped fresh oregano
--
Vilco
Mai guardare Trailer park Boys senza
qualcosa da bere a portata di mano

ViLco wrote:
> Paul M. Cook wrote:
>
>> Pretty decent organic tomatoes at the market yesterday so I grabbed
>> some. So lunch was caprese. I got some decent fresh mozzarella from
>> TJs, sliced the tomatoes and arranged them in a ring with the mozz
>> and leaves of fresh basil from my garden picked seconds earlier.
>> Salt, pepper and EVO.
>> Man, that is some good eating. So aromatic and tasty.
>
> Caprese is really a wonderful dish, so easy to arrange and so really
> wonderful.
> If you happen to find some, try adding a pinch of chopped fresh
> oregano

I have some really nice balsamic vinegar, too. My sil gave me a bottle
of some good stuff. I'll be picking up some mozzarella later today.

nancy

Kris wrote:
> On Jul 13, 5:24 pm, "Paul M. Cook" <pmc...@gte.net> wrote:
>> Pretty decent organic tomatoes at the market yesterday so I grabbed some.
>> So lunch was caprese. I got some decent fresh mozzarella from TJs, sliced
>> the tomatoes and arranged them in a ring with the mozz and leaves of fresh
>> basil from my garden picked seconds earlier. Salt, pepper and EVO.
>>
>> Man, that is some good eating. So aromatic and tasty.
>
> Yum! One of my favorite ways to use tomatoes. Also good with a little
> balsamic for a change once in a while.
>
> Kris

Yes, and garlic. Now I am reminded that I am going to scoot out
to a farm stand and see whether there are any local tomatoes.

--
Jean B.

In article <h3g8vs$qi4$[email protected]>,
"Paul M. Cook" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Pretty decent organic tomatoes at the market yesterday so I grabbed some.
> So lunch was caprese. I got some decent fresh mozzarella from TJs, sliced
> the tomatoes and arranged them in a ring with the mozz and leaves of fresh
> basil from my garden picked seconds earlier. Salt, pepper and EVO.
>
> Man, that is some good eating. So aromatic and tasty.

Oh gods... I've always wanted to make that dish and never have yet! I
need to either grow some or gets some from the farmers market and share
it with my sister and her family. ;-d
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.

[email protected]
Subscribe: [email protected]

"ViLco" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:Sp%6m.38134$[email protected]..
> Paul M. Cook wrote:
>
>> Pretty decent organic tomatoes at the market yesterday so I grabbed
>> some. So lunch was caprese. I got some decent fresh mozzarella from
>> TJs, sliced the tomatoes and arranged them in a ring with the mozz
>> and leaves of fresh basil from my garden picked seconds earlier. Salt,
>> pepper and EVO.
>> Man, that is some good eating. So aromatic and tasty.
>
> Caprese is really a wonderful dish, so easy to arrange and so really
> wonderful.
> If you happen to find some, try adding a pinch of chopped fresh oregano
> --
> Vilco
> Mai guardare Trailer park Boys senza
> qualcosa da bere a portata di mano

Really love it. I haven't found really great locally tomatoes yet but I've
been making do with hothouse until my tomato plants' fruit ripens up.

I always seem to struggle slicing the mozzarella evenly. Any tips on that?

Jon

"ViLco" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:Sp%6m.38134$[email protected]..
> Paul M. Cook wrote:
>
>> Pretty decent organic tomatoes at the market yesterday so I grabbed
>> some. So lunch was caprese. I got some decent fresh mozzarella from
>> TJs, sliced the tomatoes and arranged them in a ring with the mozz
>> and leaves of fresh basil from my garden picked seconds earlier. Salt,
>> pepper and EVO.
>> Man, that is some good eating. So aromatic and tasty.
>
> Caprese is really a wonderful dish, so easy to arrange and so really
> wonderful.
> If you happen to find some, try adding a pinch of chopped fresh oregano
> --

I've got tons of it in a planter. I think I can spare some.

Paul

"Zeppo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
>
> "ViLco" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:Sp%6m.38134$9f[email protected]..
>> Paul M. Cook wrote:
>>
>>> Pretty decent organic tomatoes at the market yesterday so I grabbed
>>> some. So lunch was caprese. I got some decent fresh mozzarella from
>>> TJs, sliced the tomatoes and arranged them in a ring with the mozz
>>> and leaves of fresh basil from my garden picked seconds earlier. Salt,
>>> pepper and EVO.
>>> Man, that is some good eating. So aromatic and tasty.
>>
>> Caprese is really a wonderful dish, so easy to arrange and so really
>> wonderful.
>> If you happen to find some, try adding a pinch of chopped fresh oregano
>>
>> --
>> Vilco
>> Mai guardare Trailer park Boys senza
>> qualcosa da bere a portata di mano
>
> Really love it. I haven't found really great locally tomatoes yet but I've
> been making do with hothouse until my tomato plants' fruit ripens up.
>
> I always seem to struggle slicing the mozzarella evenly. Any tips on that?
>

Use your sharpest, thinnest non serrated knife, heat it in boiling water.
It will slice through the cheese like a hot knife through cheese.

Paul

On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:02:04 +0200, "Giusi" <[email protected]>
shouted from the highest rooftop:

>
>"bob in nz" ha scritto nel messaggio
>Gloria P > shouted from the highest rooftop:
>>
>>>Paul M. Cook wrote:
>>>> So lunch was caprese. I got some decent fresh mozzarella from TJs,
>>>> sliced >> the tomatoes and arranged them in a ring with the mozz and
>>>> leaves of fresh
>>>> basil from my garden picked seconds earlier. Salt, pepper and EVO.
>
>>>It's one of our favorites. If I don't have fresh mozzarella at home
>>> >>it's also good with mild goat cheese as a substitute or feta in a real
>>> >>pinch.
>>
>> Sometimes I'll add some black olives (Greek or Spanish depending on my>
>> mood) to the feta, maybe some thinly sliced red onion and, if I'm
>> taking it to eat on the beach, a few anchovies.
>
>I love Greek salad, and that's just what I eat in Greece, as you described.
>It can't be Caprese, because they do not have feta in Capri.

Sadly, caprese - as described by Paul - isn't an option in the part of
New Zealand where we live because fresh mozzarella isn't available
outside of the big cities ... and we live in a remote coastal area.
But considering how much I love cheese, that may be a good thing.


--

una cerveza mas por favor ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~
Wax-up and drop-in of Surfing's Golden Years: <http://www.surfwriter.net>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

In article <h3ip5n$pe3$[email protected]>,
"Paul M. Cook" <[email protected]> wrote:

Re: Caprese:

> > Really love it. I haven't found really great locally tomatoes yet but I've
> > been making do with hothouse until my tomato plants' fruit ripens up.
> >
> > I always seem to struggle slicing the mozzarella evenly. Any tips on that?
> >
>
> Use your sharpest, thinnest non serrated knife, heat it in boiling water.
> It will slice through the cheese like a hot knife through cheese.
>
> Paul

I use a wire to cut all cheese any more.
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.

[email protected]
Subscribe: [email protected]

"bob in nz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]..
> On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:02:04 +0200, "Giusi" <[email protected]>
> shouted from the highest rooftop:
>
>>
>>"bob in nz" ha scritto nel messaggio
>>Gloria P > shouted from the highest rooftop:
>>>
>>>>Paul M. Cook wrote:
>>>>> So lunch was caprese. I got some decent fresh mozzarella from TJs,
>>>>> sliced >> the tomatoes and arranged them in a ring with the mozz and
>>>>> leaves of fresh
>>>>> basil from my garden picked seconds earlier. Salt, pepper and EVO.
>>
>>>>It's one of our favorites. If I don't have fresh mozzarella at home
>>>> >>it's also good with mild goat cheese as a substitute or feta in a
>>>> >>real
>>>> >>pinch.
>>>
>>> Sometimes I'll add some black olives (Greek or Spanish depending on my>
>>> mood) to the feta, maybe some thinly sliced red onion and, if I'm
>>> taking it to eat on the beach, a few anchovies.
>>
>>I love Greek salad, and that's just what I eat in Greece, as you
>>described.
>>It can't be Caprese, because they do not have feta in Capri.
>
> Sadly, caprese - as described by Paul - isn't an option in the part of
> New Zealand where we live because fresh mozzarella isn't available
> outside of the big cities ... and we live in a remote coastal area.
> But considering how much I love cheese, that may be a good thing.
>

Mozzarella is quite easy to make, I've done it myself a few times. New
Zealand has some of the best milk in the world so I would think you could
make a darn fine cheese. All you need is milk, salt, rennet and a stove.

Paul

In article <h3itq5$cu9$[email protected]>,
"Paul M. Cook" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Mozzarella is quite easy to make, I've done it myself a few times. New
> Zealand has some of the best milk in the world so I would think you could
> make a darn fine cheese. All you need is milk, salt, rennet and a stove.
>
> Paul

Recipe please?
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.

[email protected]
Subscribe: [email protected]

"Omelet" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]..
> In article <h3itq5$cu9$[email protected]>,
> "Paul M. Cook" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Mozzarella is quite easy to make, I've done it myself a few times. New
>> Zealand has some of the best milk in the world so I would think you could
>> make a darn fine cheese. All you need is milk, salt, rennet and a stove.
>>
>> Paul
>
> Recipe please?


Well there are hundreds of web pages devoted to this, Leeners.com is where I
buy from.

The key is the milk, you must get as close to raw as you can get. If you
can get milk straight from a dairy you'll have the best luck. You want to
use whole milk but bear in mind whole milk by dairy standards has much more
fat than store bought whole milk. I add a cup of cream per gallon. All
milk sold in stores is pasteurized. Not all is homogenized, though. The
homogenized milk does not yield the best result as the fat does not
coagulate to form the curds like you want. But there are places you can get
fresh organic milk that is just pasteurized. If you have connections, pure,
raw unpasteurized milk makes the best cheese.

All you do is warm the milk, about 2 gallons, to about 88F, add your rennet
and slowly raise the temperature to 105F. Now you want to maintain the 105
for about 15 minutes. You'll have a nice heavy curd which you'll spoon off
into a strainer or cheese cloth. Then you'll cool, dry and salt the cheese
curds.

The final step is you put the dried curds into hot water and let it get
soft, then you pull it like taffy in your hands in the hot water. When it
is shiny and stretchy you form it into balls by folding it over and over
into a lump.

That's basically how it's done. You can buy everything online.

Paul

Giusi wrote:
> Last week I had visitors from Peru here. I took them to the buffalo farm
> and we watched the mozzarella being formed then toted 600 grams home with
> us, With some tomatoes-- not local yet-- and basil from my pots and some
> Umbrian oil, everyone was happy. Next morning they both had the two balls
> left over for breakfast.
>
> There are lots of good things in the world, but none of them are actually
> better than mozzarella bufala just 7 hours old.

How wonderful for your visitors, I am sure they loved it. I know I would.


Becca