Late Summer Peach Caprese Salad

Last weekend we were supposed to endure the rains of Hurricane Hermine and they never came. It has been a long, hot summer in Connecticut and our garden so desperately needed the rain and cooler temperatures so I was excited. I am glad we did not have to endure any crazy hurricane weather like our neighbors to the south, but I honestly didn’t mind the idea of part of our long weekend being rained in. Naturally we had some party plans and I was all for preparing food to take to friend’s homes, including this peach caprese salad which is just fine, rain or shine.

The fun thing about a late summer potluck (rain notwithstanding) is that all the fresh produce is still readily available. The tomatoes and peaches are still ripe and the herb pots are thriving. For one event I volunteered to bring a large caprése salad since it is a summer classic and must be made continuously while tomatoes are in season. There is no limit to how much you can make – the only time to eat it is when fresh sun-ripened tomatoes are vibrantly colorful all the way through.

For this salad I branched out and took a even more ambitious summer approach and added fresh peach slices and some super fresh mozzarella that practically oozed in the middle. It’s the kind of fresh mozzarella that tries to behave like burrata but is just a little firmer so it is perfect for tearing up and adding to salad. Then I scattered loads of fresh basil leaves on top and just a sprinkling of sea salt for good measure. (I contemplated prosciutto but decided to skip it though it would also taste lovely!)

This platter was easy to transfer and so pretty on the table. I was so thrilled to serve it to friends and even more excited to have yet another chance to enjoy my favorite salad of summer before fall arrives!