I don’t think there is anything as summer as a simple Caprese salad.

Just Tomatoes, Mozzarella, and Basil topped with olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.

That’s it.

I like to buy the “fresh” and presliced mozzarella from the “fancy” cheese section in the grocery store and to use Roma tomatoes.  Another spin to use heirloom tomatoes and burrata cheese.

The thing about this quick salad is that it takes about 30 seconds to make and is best eaten in the sun with a super cold glass of white or rose wine.

This summer I have made it a bunch of times, unfortunately with the weight loss goals I’ve had to skip the wine, and of course where we are now has no outdoor space to eat so it’s been inside.  Still I find the simple dish inspiring and motivating for our sailboat goals.  And since we are lucky to have our apartment right on the water with a sea breeze it’s that much easier to imagine having a cypress salad in the cockpit with a glass of wine.

My boys of course don’t like tomatoes, and certainly don’t like the caprese salad.  It’s of course easy to understand.  It was introduced to them by their stepmother who wasn’t the nicest to them.  But we’re working on having those memories fade.  And I’ve been doing so partly with food.  Making the things that are good and delicious.  And trying to connect those foods with better memories.