Whatever

Perfect summer supper

22 Comments

Fresh mozzarella, tomatoes fresh from the garden, and just picked sweet basil – can culinary perfection come any more simply?

I’ve become totally spoiled by handmade fresh mozzarella in the last year. I’ve always loved mozzarella – the milkiness and nutty flavor of the fresh stuff is just so delicious! Growing up I remember how I loved to pilfer a few slices of the Polly-O brand my dad made lasanga with – I don’t think I could ever go back to eating that. For years I looked forward to the fresh mozzarella my Italian sister-in-law would have on holidays from her old neighborhood in Staten Island – even that can’t compare to this stuff!

I like to cut it in large chunks and mix with quartered tomatoes and fresh basil with a sprinkle of balsamic and lots of black pepper. Roasted sweet peppers are a nice addition, I think, if you have them handy.

My only complaint is that you really can’t refrigerate the stuff without the flavor being affected. My DH and I mix it up early and then *graze* throughout the day and night so that it’s gone before bed. Once decent tomatoes are available, we’ll have this treat most summer weekends. Yummmmm.

So, what’s your idea of the perfect summer supper?

22 thoughts on “Perfect summer supper”

  5. Your supper looks yummy! A salad supper is all I am up to on these hot days. But tonight we had corn on the cob fresh from the market and that was delicious too. I haven’t seen homemade Mozzarella around here but the Mennonites in northern Mexico sell it on the streets.
    ruth

  6. About all I can tolerate when it’s this hot is salad with lots of cold, smooth cheese.
    Can I come over and graze with you?

    Now I know what to give you for Christmas…a huge block of fresh mozzarella.

  7. I’m with you on the fresh mozzarella- I like the small cigilini size with cherry tomatoes and the larger with sliced heirloom. I’ve been on a pesto binge. Given my small garden space I still have room to grow basil in pots so we’ve been eating a lot of that on wonderful rustic italian loaves from the bread store down the street.
    Summer is nice for eating fresh and when it’s really hot, only a light meal will do. I love the photo…

  8. I have never had fresh mozzarella, but now I am going to look for it. I have the fresh tomatoes and basil in the garden.

  9. Last night I diced a huge tomato and added minced fresh garlic, two handfuls of fresh chopped basil and parsley, some chopped pecans, olive oil, balsamic vinegar. While those flavors were getting to know each other, I quartered a zucchini and a yellow summer squash lengthwise, brushed them with olive oil and grilled them. Then I poured the fresh tomato sauce over them, sprinkled with asiago cheese and … yummmmmmm….

  10. Perfect summer supper? A beach picnic of tabbouleh, hummus, baguette, apple, grapes, pistachio nuts, Havarti, cheddar, brie, pepper jack, and some fine bubbly sparkling water. I would also take the supper in your post at any time of the year. This post has made me hungry.

  13. Freshly picked baby lettuce torn into small pieces, with
    a bit of minced garlic, diced tomatoes fresh from the garden,
    some green olives, a few pecans,
    shredded carrots, a little sugar sprinkled over this, tossed with a dressing of white balsamic vinegrette and EVO.

    Corn on the Cob fresh from the produce stand boiled for 3 minutes served smothered in butter.

    Honey basted chicken breast-halves roasted on the grill.

    For dessert – halved cantelope with a dollop of coffee ice cream.

    Can you tell I’m from New Jersey?

  14. Favorite summer supper at our house is a sliced tomato (fresh from the garden) sandwich. I toast the bread, spread hummus on both slices, layer the tomatoes with some garden basil and fresh romaine.
    We also eat this for breakfast and lunch.
    Stir fried zucchinni, potatoes, onions and peppers, all from the garden, is our second favorite summer supper.
    Hummm.. I feel the need for a tomato sandwhich.
    Sherry

  15. MMM!-sounds good-We just had eggplant and yellow saush from the garden-We fried it in Olive oil-then layered it with sauce, mozzarella, and freshly grated parmesean-baked in the oven.

  17. KGMom: Yes – perfect!

    Jean: Mmmm… feta.

    Bev: Do you make spinach pie from scratch? That’s one of my favorites!

    Ruth: This is the time to get your fill of corn, no? We had corn salad too for supper.

    Susan: Yep – that’ll make me a happy camper!

    Vicki: I’ve never made pesto, but may need to try it with all the basil growing here.

    Which are your favorite heirlooms? I really like Brandywine myself.

    Sandy: You’ve got to try it!

    Jennifer: That sounds delish! What time can I be over?

    😉

    rcwbiologist: All that cheese sounds wonderful! Have a good recipe for tabouleh to share?

    Pam: That’s the best type of supper!

    Kiki: Yes, mmmm.

    Dorothy: Yep – all favorites here too. Will have to try the cantaloupe with coffee ice-cream!

    q: Tomato sandwiches with lots of mayo and salt!

    Larry: That sounds really good. Are you overloaded with eggplant already?

    Endment: Hey! Nice to see you!

    No recipe – just mix it all up – the more cheese the better!

  18. This sounds so tasty and summery. I wish. I sort of enjoy by reading, as I can’t eat any of that anymore. Sigh.
    Are making your own mozzerella?

  19. Anything with fresh, home-grown tomatoes! Laura, I make your dish using either mozzarella or feta. We love it! Only in the months of July and August.

  20. And tomato sandwiches (I had four over the weekend). Toasted wonder bread, Hellmann’s mayo, black pepper and four thick tomato slices. mmmmmm.

  21. Laura – Yes, I make spanakopita from scratch, but using sheets of phyllo pastry. I make a batch and keep it in the fridge and we munch on it for the next few days. Looks like we’re in for another hot, humid week, so I’ll probably be glad for having made a lot of salads this weekend!

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