I recently found myself in amidst the lush seaside cliffs and colourful stucco houses that make up Cinque Terre in the Italian Riviera. I travelled to the tiny village of Corniglia, aboard a train that sped through tunnels carved through the rocky cliffs and the first thing I did was visit the only food shop in town. All I needed was a bottle of locally grown wine, salame, cheese, and bread. After devouring the spicy sliced meat and the sharp and salty pecorino cheese I sat and stared in wonder at my empty plate. How could something so simple be so incredibly delicious? There is no answer to that question.
Pecorino cheese is a hard cheese made from sheep’s milk. It has almost the same texture as parmesan cheese but with a sharper taste to it and a more crumbly feeling. It’s fantastic with lightly or unsalted crackers or bread (in Italy most breads are unsalted) and paired with a crisp white wine.
It was also in cinque Terre that my taste buds became quick friends with insalata caprese (caprese salad). This, again, is so ridiculously simple and yet it is so full of flavour, I had to step back, close my eyes, and just savour the moment. Typically, this salad is made with buffalo mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Balsamic vinegar can be added as well and in my opinion this last ingredient completes the salad. The warm, juicy tomato and the pungent basil with the blandness of the mozzarella all combined with the sweetness of the olive oil and the tartness of the vinegar…I can’t go on – my mouth is watering as I type this!

Spicy salame, crackers, hard and soft pecorino cheese, and black olives

Insalata Caprese