Capri

What is this?

 This is Capri, a city on a small island off the western Coast of Italy, near Naples. What about it?

Guess what comes from Capri? CAPRESE salad! This classic mixture of mozzarella and fresh tomatoes, with optional basil, is a favorite of mine. While mozzarella isn't strictly Paleo, I decided to bring home a ball just to mix things up a bit. Plus, because of the ratios of fat and protein to carbs, it's not a bad choice as far as cheese is concerned, particularly if you get the stuff made with whole milk. Why is this yummy combo called Caprese? My limited internet research hasn't turned up anything other than, "it's from Capri!" How on earth the combination of mozzarella made from buffalo's milk and fresh tomatoes became synonymous with a rocky island, I have no clue.

One of my favorite ways to eat the Caprese combination is on pizza (cue the Mimi at Punch Pizza) or as part of a sandwich (I'm lookin' at you, D'amico!). But, I've also dreamed up a couple of more Paleo-friendly ways to enjoy this!

It can easily be poured on top of a couple of turkey burgers, which I just cook in a pan on the stove.

While the burgers are cooking, I'm standing nearby chopping up mozzarella and tomatoes using a santoku knife and the little cutting board. Clean up is pretty snappy!

I've also recently started making a balsamic vinegar drizzle and adding it over the top. While that makes the whole process more complicated, it's a pretty yummy addition. I don't have much in the way of advice about making the drizzle. All I can really offer is a warning: if the balsamic cooks too long, it gets a caramel texture which I didn't really enjoy. I enjoyed even less how easily it got stuck in my teeth. The instructions I use are here.

I found myself with extra tomatoes and cheese but no more turkey burgers. I got creative!

Drizzle on the left, omelet on the right! I considered loading the omelet with both tomatoes and mozzarella, though I've had bad experiences in the past attempting to include tomato in an omelet. I can't seem to do so without making a gigantic mess. Yikes. So, I kept it simple and went with just cheese...

And topped it with tomatoes, a little more cheese, and some drizzle. It was great. I think it will be Capri around here all summer long.