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I have planned a debate on good vs bad ingredients, my position being that the secret is knowing what to do with the bad ones.
This entry is the opposite because the better the ingredients, the better this dish. First the tomatoes, handpicked off the vine warmed to blood temperature by the sun.
Tear some leaves from a nearby basil bush (tomatoes and basil thrive together). Slice buffalo Mozarella into soft creamy discs. Assemble alternate layers of tomato, basil and mozarella.
Grind fresh pepper and sprinkle Murray River salt over the dish. Drizzle with the best olive oil you have in the house.
Don’t even think about putting this dish in the fridge and eating later; you’ll ruin it that way.
Eat now with T’Gallant Pinot Grigio and good company.
Listening: Miles Davis, Sketches of Spain
Food facist:
1. Never ever put tomatoes in the fridge. Keep them out to ripen.
2. Never ever buy tomatoes out of season. In the southern hemisphere that means between April and October; north between October and May.
3. Avoid chopping basil and it oxidises. Tear with you fingers to real the aromas. Enjoy the lingering aroma on your hands.
4. Try and keep a plant year round. Shop stuff goes of so quickly.
5. While I’m ranting, avoid buying fruit, veggies and herbs from supermarkets at all costs. They aren’t about being “the fresh food people” or “serving you better”. What they are about is sourcing very cheap and often dubious quality food. They are about vast out of town distribution centres, supply chain management and logistics. I defy you to find a decent tomato in any of these places (unless its one of those upmarket posh places).
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Almost exactly what we had on Saturday afternoon, all on crusty Baker D Chirico bread!
Thanks for posting about Bimbo Deluxe too. A. loves pizza and we haven’t checked this place out yet.
Chirico bread is the best isn’t it? You have to try Bimbos, its a really cool place beating those posh $18 pizzas.
Couldn’t agree more about produce, especially the fridge being the natural enemy of the tomato fact. And supermarket produce sucks. One of my own food challenges is to avoid them in 2006 unless it’s for toilet paper etc.
Ditto with the bog roll. I was going to make using less one of my food challenges but we’ve started roasting our own muesli. What this space - for the muesli recipe that is.
Ditto with the supermarket and produce. I refuse to buy any veggies from chain stores, we only go in there to buy canned food, toiletries and essentials. We do still get meat from there on occassion - but mostly kangaroo and free range chicken. I prefer going to the butchers. Harris Farm markets for fresh veggies or the fresh food markets on a Saturday if we get the chance. The difference is amazing. Whilst seasonal food is wonderful, I do confess to missing asparagus already.
Oh and we’ve also starting doing our own muesli. I made some for christmas gifting purposes - with fruit cake mix as the fruit. A revelation. So easy and totally beats commercial hands down.
Asparagus is around still down here. kangaroo! I think we should be making a greater connection with our food sources. Translation: Don’t you shoot them fresh?
You’re right about the Muesli. they are either too dry and dusty, sweet, full of fruit chunks or too expensive. It’s really quick and cheap to make at home. I used to dismiss Muesli a hamster cage sweepings; now I eat it everyday with fruit and yoghurt (not home knitted but I’m working on it).
Heh, I do live in inner west Sydney so shooting my own kangaroo fresh isn’t really an option at the moment. I agree with making a greater connection with our food sources. I struggled with breaded calamari when we went camping in the South Coast this weekend. Why am I standing next to this great body of water with fishing boats and eating frozen calamari? Something is wrong.
Erm. I make my own yoghurt….admittedly from a packet of Easiyo but still. It is really easy and cheap. 1L for $2.
I found some tiny asparagus at Paddy’s market but was not sure if it was imported or not.