Caprese Skewers with Balsamic Glaze

The insalata caprese has survived countless bastardizations since it left the island of Capri in the early twentieth century. Mealy winter tomatoes. Rubbery mass-produced mozzarella. Dried basil from a jar. I've seen crimes committed in its name at hotel buffets across this nation.

But the original concept is flawless: three ingredients at their peak, assembled with restraint, dressed with nothing more than good olive oil and perhaps a whisper of sea salt. Threading these components onto skewers transforms an iconic salad into party food without sacrificing its soul.

The skewer format solves the eternal cocktail party problem. Guests can eat while holding a drink, without balancing a plate or hunting for a fork. Each bite contains the complete composition. No one gets stuck with a naked tomato while someone else hoards all the mozzarella.

This recipe succeeds or fails entirely on ingredient quality. I cannot stress this enough. A perfect caprese skewer made with supermarket tomatoes in February will disappoint you. The same skewer made with farmers market tomatoes in August will make you briefly reconsider every choice that led you away from a life in Italy.