A few weekends ago, while on bridesmaid duty for my pal Tessa, I arrived at the rehearsal dinner with a growling stomach. I grabbed a glass of wine and promptly accepted an appetizer offered by a college-age waitress. I was so glad to see this stranger that I almost hugged her. She had a whole plate of cute Caprese skewers in her arms, complete with a bowl of balsamic dipping sauce that was thick enough not to drip all over my new silk dress.
I grabbed a skewer, then another, and marveled at how simple and perfect these appetizers were. Tomato, basil and mozzarella on a stick. They’re easy to make, easy to hold, and easy to eat. You can’t say that for most appetizers, which make mingling and eating at the same time a less-than-pleasant affair. (Like, why do we serve big hunks of broccoli on veggie trays? So we can all walk around with broccoli bits between our teeth? Am I the only person who experiences party broccoli paranoia? Please say no.)
Maybe Caprese skewers are old news. Certainly, Caprese salads are often overrated (if only all Caprese salads were this good). Maybe they’ve been overplayed, but if so, I’m coming to their defense. They’re perfect and I had to share them with you all. I happened across some perfectly ripe peaches at the store, so I decided to thread peach slices onto mine as well. Feel free to do the same, or skip the peach and be traditional with just tomatoes, basil and mozzarella. If you skip the peach, one pint of cherry tomatoes should still be plenty. These skewers deserve a party!
