Basil

The humid heat finally broke here in Nashville. I can have breakfast on the patio while working on menus for my fall cooking classes. This time I’ve tapped my mom’s culinary imagination for suggestions. She makes suggestions on a daily basis anyway letting me know how she cooked the sausages, or eggplant, or mozzarella we bought together the other day.

My simple, yet perfect, breakfast that I’m eating out here this morning has her influence, too. With my scrambled eggs packed with feta cheese, I’m having beautiful fresh mozzarella and sliced campari tomatoes with basil from the garden, from a plant growing right across from me.

Breakfast: feta eggs, mozzarella, tomatoes, basil

My mom bought a 2-pack of creamy mozzarella logs at Costco yesterday and sent me home with one. She just wrote me this morning to say it tastes so good. I’m enjoying these 2 precious slices. Plus some grapes and cherries she insisted I take home “to eat while I’m reading.”

Mom, garden, cool but-still-summery weather: perfect inspiration for my fall menus!

Chocolate Mint

Lemon Thyme

Fig Tree