My fava beans are happening and a friend just brought me a fabulous Tuscan pecorino. Is that an opportunity or what? Young favas straight from the pod. Nuggets of buttery sheep cheese. Crisp white wine. It’s the antipasto I fantasize about when I plant the beans in the fall, and now’s the moment. Every good cheese counter will have an aged pecorino suitable for pairing with fresh favas—an Italian spring custom—but I am smitten with this new-to-me cheese.
Read moreGive That Cheese a Bath
Mozzarella is a flavor sponge. It readily soaks up good stuff like extra virgin olive oil and garlic, so why not give it a little bath on Labor Day? Ciliegine, the cherry-size balls, are perfect for marinating. They’re bite sized, you can serve them whole so they don’t release whey, and it doesn’t take long to infuse them with seasonings. (Say chili-eh-GEE-neh.) I add dried oregano, parsley, Aleppo pepper and capers, but you do you. Taken to a potluck or at your own backyard barbecue, these juicy, garlicky one-bite wonders will vanish before the burgers are done.
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