Reimagining the Caprese Salad

          Try replacing the tomatoes with peaches, nectarines & cantaloupe, & the basil with thyme

I love insalata Caprese, but after a July filled with too-many-to-count salads named after my beloved island of Capri, I decided to switch it up a bit.   After tasting a luscious peach sample and inhaling the intoxicating scents of nearby melons at the Farmer’s market, I decided to try a riff on the Caprese.

Mozzarella di bufala is available at many Costcos & Whole Foods

To pay homage to Italy, however, I used fresh Mozzarella de Bufala.  Made on the mainland across from Capri, this classical cheese is made from the milk of a special breed of water buffalo.  Wine-Knows took a group about 10 years ago to an artisanal maker of Mozzarella de Bufala during our trip on the Amalfi Coast where we watched the entire process.  We learned that while it takes 18 pounds of cow’s milk to produce other cheeses, it only takes 11 pounds of buffalo milk.   Moreover, Bufala milk is higher in fat content than cos milk, thus the creamy texture and rich flavor of buffalo mozzarella.

Mozzarella de Bufalo DOP is protected from knockoffs by the government

I substituted the tomatoes with the Farmers Market peaches and melons, but then I made a bold move.  Why not substitute the basil for fresh thyme from my garden?  I tried a taste test and it worked.  Brava!   I was so happy with the results that I decided to make another one next week and substitute goat cheese for the mozzarella, and make a fresh mint pesto.