Caprese Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes

I couldn't resist the beautiful colors of these organic heirloom tomatoes. I didn't have much luck growing them the last few years because because the trees have grown and shaded my vegetable boxes, so I've had to rely on the wonderful growers that bring them to my local farmers' market.


Today I prepared a Caprese salad using freshly picked basil from my garden, and fresh mozarella cheese, sliced. I like a semi-generous amount of EV olive oil and a little splash of fine balsamic vinegar and then sprinkled with fleur de sel and freshly ground pepper.


All of the flavors work so well in bringing out the flavors of the fresh tomatoes and it's so easy to prepare. I've got to hand it to the Italians for coming up with such simple yet flavorful dishes such as the Caprese salad.

The colors and patterns of the tomatoes are spectacular. On the one hand they look too beautiful to eat but it's the beauty that makes them look so appetizing that one can easily eat several tomatoes in one sitting.

Obamas' first state dinner is vegetarian

President and Mrs. Obama hosted their first White House state dinner in honor of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The full article can be found on the Associated Press' web site.

"The menu – created by Guest Chef Marcus Samuelsson and White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford, with the First Lady is respectful of the Prime Minister's dietary concerns, being a vegetarian, as well putting an emphasis on healthy eating from the Obama White House. White House Pastry Chef William Yosses and his team created the desserts."

Some of the herbs and lettuce served came from the White House garden which Mrs. Obama helped to plant - that's pretty cool.

Here is the menu:

Potato and eggplant salad
White House arugula with onion seed vinaigrette
2008 sauvignon blanc, Modus Operandi, Napa Valley, Calif.

Red lentil soup with fresh cheese
2006 Riesling, Brooks "Ara," Willamette Valley, Ore.

Roasted potato dumplings with tomato chutney, chick peas and okra or green curry prawns, caramelized salsify with smoked collard greens and coconut-aged basmati
2007 grenache, Beckmen Vineyards, Santa Ynez, Calif.

Pumpkin pie tart, pear tatin, whipped cream and caramel sauce
Sparkling chardonnay, Thibaut Janisson Brut, Monticello, Va.

Petits fours and coffee
Cashew brittle
Pecan pralines
Passion fruit and vanilla gelees
Chocolate-dipped fruit