The request was an Italian night menu. Once again I found myself in a lovely La Jolla rental property, cooking for a vacationing family. Multi generational dinners are my favorite and this family was no exception. I cooked for them twice during the week and they requested Mexican and Italian. These pictures from Italian night show my version of an Italian wedge salad. Mixed with the comfort of Tuscan stew and the vibrant crunch of fresh giardiniera. As part of an appetizer, we had some opal basil flowers. Adding the basil flavor on a mini roasted caprese bite.
Renting a nice place along the coast is great. It allows you to be on vacation and not have to leave your area for entertainment. Bringing me in to handle dinner makes things even better. You get a night of memorably delicious food without the rigmarole of taking a group out to dinner. I serve all areas of the county with fresh, vibrant farmers market based food. Like the tomatoes to the right. Hollowed out baby tomatoes roasted with mozzarella and stuffed with garlic and peppered walnuts. Then garnished with basil flowers for a soft tough on a rich appetizer.