The Caprese Garden: Honoring Treasured Italian Flavors

I am going to come right out and admit: the Caprese Garden is one of my favorite collections of spring.

Donna Letier, CEO of Gardenuity

“For one thing,” Donna Letier says, “It reminds me of summer. With all that is going on right now, I can’t wait until the days are warmer and full of meaningful connections with friends.”

In honor of the classic Caprese salad, the Caprese Garden brings together two treasured flavors: vine-ripened tomatoes and fresh basil.

Flavors of the Caprese

The tomato is the star of any garden. Besides having a deliciously sweet-acidic flavor that’s a staple in the kitchen, tomatoes are a delight to grow. They are a great way to fight against free radicals and inflammation in the body. Orange tomatoes are also high in tocopherols (more commonly known as vitamin E) which are said to help with skin problems like eczema and psoriasis.

The other star of the garden is basil. Basil grows all summer long and holds a special place in our hearts for its sweet Italian flavor. Additionally, basil has an abundance of polyphenois — a compound known to fight inflammation and heal the body. Its peppery sweetness is the perfect topper to fruit salads, pizza, and pasta.

History of the Caprese Salad

The Caprese Garden is named after the classic Caprese salad. The garden delivers two of the key ingredients for the famous Italian salad. The Caprese salad originated in the 1950’s in the Isle of Capri. The dish brings olive oil, fresh mozzarella cheese, basil, and tomatoes together and is an icon for Italian summers.

In post WWI Italy, a mason wanted to make a dish that was a tribute to Italy and incorporated the tricolor of the flag into the presentation. In the 1950s King Farouk asked his chef for a light afternoon snack and was served a Caprese sandwich. The rest, as they say, is history.

Deliver this tasty history straight to your kitchen in the freshest way possible: via the Caprese Garden. Nothing is quite so satisfying on a summer day as a fresh Caprese Salad, so begin growing the ingredients now!