Today I am going to have to post and run, because in a few hours I will be boarding a plane for Chicago! Yes, I am homeward bound for a few weeks and I am really looking forward to it.  I look forward to checking in later this week and seeing everyone else’s take on this week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe, Mozzarella, Tomato, and Strawberry Salad.

Some recipes rely heavily on technique while others rely almost exclusively on ingredients. This week’s recipe fell squarely into the later category. And after my miss last week with the roasted rhubarb I wasn’t taking any chances, and that meant a trip to Kleinmarkthalle. Literally translated, the name means “small market hall” but this place is anything but small. It is actually a very large indoor market in downtown Frankfurt, hidden behind a very uninviting facade, with stands selling everything from Persian sweets, to fish so fresh that it is still swimming when you pick it out. One of my favorite stalls is run by a matronly Italian woman who rolls her own pasta fresh daily and sells it alongside a clutter of imported hams & cheese. And I knew that if anyone would have good fresh burrata, it would be her.

When I first tried burrata years ago, it was love at first taste. In fact, I probably sounded a bit like Sally in her famous scene at Katz’s Deli, except that I wasn’t faking it!

Much to my chagrin I soon learned that burrata is not so easy to come by, and is darn expensive once found. The trouble with this tasty cheese is that it is highly perishable, lasting only about one week after it has been made, a process which entails wrapping a piece of fresh mozzarella around a mixture of mozzarella curds and fresh cream. The result is a very delicate and delicious cheese which practically melts in your mouth.

Dorie’s simple salad was the perfect compliment to this delectable cheese and I must admit that I have been looking forward to this one all month. Her recipe is closely related to a basic caprese salad but with the addition of fresh strawberries, an ingenious little idea which not only tastes delicious, but also looks beautiful on the plate. We will absolutely be making this one again.