Hello everyone! My name is Marta, and this is my new blog! I’m a great lover of food – especially desserts – and an avid reader, and I’m excited to start sharing my thoughts, favorite recipes, and book recommendations with all of you!
First, two fun facts about me:
Clyde!
Basil is my favorite herb, by far! I think it’s excellent in or on just about anything – eggs, salads, hot dogs, black bean burgers, lemonade, creme brûlée, and more! I recently bought a basil plant and named him Clyde, who you’ll hear much more about in future blog posts. Lavender is the runner-up – I particularly enjoy it in white chocolate mochas and earl gray tea lattes.
I love puzzles, and am currently working on an 18,000-piece behemoth in my basement. My mother kindly made a massive puzzle mat for me, so that it can be rolled up when necessary (as you might imagine, it takes up a fair amount of space).
This summer, I am in New York as part of NYU Sackler Institute’s Summer Undergraduate Research Program. Our program group is fantastic, and I’ve been exploring lots, and loving all of the opportunities, free events, and delicious food NYC has to offer!
If anything, I’d say one of NYC’s flaws is that there are simply too many wonderful restaurants and other places at which to spend money. As a student, I’ve been trying to eat in pretty regularly to save money, and simply because it’s fun to make your own food. 🙂
Tonight, caprese salad is on the menu! Actually, not exactly a salad, but it definitely qualifies as caprese-esque. I think caprese is pretty great whether in sandwich, crepe, salad or another form, especially because it involves basil. If you guys have other favorite caprese recipes, please share them in the comments below – I’d love to try them!
Basically, for this “recipe,” I just sliced tomato and mozzarella, piled on a few fresh basil leaves from Clyde, drizzled some balsamic vinegar on top, and sprinkled some garlic salt to finish it off! You could definitely put this on a bed of lettuce, use it as an appetizer for a more substantial meal, or maybe add some avocado to the stack. Simple, not too expensive, and utterly delicious! All ingredients – except for the balsamic and the salt – were acquired at the Union Square farmer’s market! Check out the next blog post to hear more about my experience with this fantastic farmer’s market!
Love it! 🙂