These are the custom salads I made for dinner tonight. I do not cook individual meals for dinner; if they don't like what I cook they don't have to eat, or they can always have a banana. This is America: no one is going to starve. However, I will make individual insalate, to increase vegetable consumption. Colin's is without leaves. He insists this is not his salad, he does not like salad, this is his dinner. Anna is having spinach leaves with tomatoes she picked from the Farmers' Market and cucumbers. Anthony is having spinach and cukes with no tomatoes. I am having a little spinach and a bunch of spicy arugula and tomatoes.

The dressings are all different, too -- Anna likes Ranch, Anthony likes Paul Newman's, and I dress my own with EVO, sea salt, pepper, and a splash of red wine vinegar. Colin eats his crudites naked.

Laura, the dish in the last post was Insalata Caprese. It is a traditional Italian salad from Capri, near Naples and Pompeii. It is so simple, but only worth eating in the height of summer ripeness. Here's the ingredient list (I can't really call it a recipe):

Sliced vine-ripe tomatoes
Sliced mozzarella (preferably fresh or bufalo, NOT Kraft)
Julienned fresh basil

Arrange prettily, then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil (EVO), salt and pepper.