Caprese Roses

The thing is - I am susceptible. I was paging through a book devoted to small bites at a book store and saw these. They called them "Caprese Lollipops." My daughter called them "Caprese Roses." I left the store and bought tomatoes. Because sometimes you need something fanciful in your life.

I have always made "Caprese-on-a-stick" for appetizers. Thread a toothpick with a tomato, mozzarella ball and basil leaf. Dip it in some sort of balsamic-olive oil mixture. Watch them disappear.

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The grape tomatoes were hollowed to make room for the small ball of cheese. A dab of pesto inside it would dance on your tongue.

So easy, you can just grace your table with it. No need to save this "for company."

Perfect for Mid-March when spring is teasing us - coming and going. And so simple: for each one you need:

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1 large bamboo skewer

1 grape tomato - hollowed

1 pearl-sized mozzarella ball

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I dipped them in olive oil and minced Italian parsley but you know as soon as spring truly comes, these flowers will be dipped in basil. I can hardly wait.

Fantastical roses. Spring-in-a-bite. Being susceptible has its upside.