I'm attempting a living wall consisting of three planters with
live herbs, lettuce and potentially flowers in my kitchen nook. So far I've
sustained herbs in one container for about six months. The other two containers hosted strawberries last summer outdoors, and I plan to transport the strawberries later when it warms up a bit. We'll see
how all three planters do when in action. It's a fun project and I've loved having something fresh growing
in my kitchen this past winter.
Anyway, I was re-potting some fresh basil
into this planter on the wall tonight. I cannot smell basil without wanting a
caprese salad. Caprese salad brings me to warm summer evenings with a chilled
glass of Moscato in hand.
I decided the world needs an adult version
of If You Give a Mouse a
Cookie. I cannot begin to tell you how many times we read those Laura Numeroff tales. If
You Give a Pig a Pancake was
my favorite.
If You Give a Mama Some Basil
If you give a mama some basil,
she's going to want some fresh mozzarella to go
with it.
She will drive to Graziano Brothers to find the very best
cheese.
On the way she will pass the iCubs stadium.
There is a game being played this perfect afternoon.
The mama will park the SUV, nab a ticket and chug a beer
while trying to catch hot dogs being shot from a machine at terminal velocity.
The game ends in spectacular fireworks.
The fireworks remind the mama of her daughter.
So she heads to the Dollar Store to get bubbles and
sparklers to re-create some magic for her daughter.
On her way to the Dollar Store, the mama passes a shoe shop.
The shoes sparkle.
Sparkle is good.
The mama buys some shoes.
Outside the shoe shop, a small flower bed has a lonely weed
growing all alone.
The weed reminds the mama of the basil at home on the counter.
The basil needs to become a caprese salad.
The mama renews her mission.
The mama goes to Grazianos and picks up fresh mozzarella.
And sausage.
And pasta.
And wine.
Arriving home and seeing all the food and the sparklers and the new shoes
makes the mama feel festive.
The mama cooks like she has 20 people to feed.
The mama invites over copious amounts of friends to share in
the feast.
The food is served.
The wine is poured.
The sparklers sparkle.
The bubbles pop.
When the dust has settled, the last sparkler has twinkled in
all its glory, and the guests have gone home, the mama sits down in the kitchen to see the basil on the counter.
And sighs.
For chances are good, if the mama sees some basil on the
counter, she’s going to want some mozzarella to go with it.
(I'll keep my day job...).
