Edible garden: My first harvest makes a Caprese -and why organic is worth it

Remember when I planted my edible garden a few months ago? My first home-grown tomatoes are now ready to eat, so I decided to also pick some fresh basil from the garden and make a delicious Caprese salad.

Many people wonder what’s the difference between a regular and organic or homegrown tomato, and they are surprised to hear that regular tomatoes are picked green and ripen artificially with a gas called ethylene when they are closer to their point of sale location. Not only is that gas unnecessary in your food, but when tomatoes ripe naturally, they get to develop much more flavors thanks to the nutrients it receives from the soil, water and sun. Organic tomatoes have a more earthy taste, whereas conventional tomatoes tend to have more of a plain flavor.

Because I was in a locavore mood, I chose for the special occasion Mozzarita mozzarella cheese, made in Pompano Beach by an Italian cheesemaker who buys the milk from a local farm.

Even if Mozzarita’s origin might not sound as glamorous, what it lacks in history it makes up in flavor: it’s creamy, rich in texture and lightly salted to perfection, plus you are supporting a local business (available at Whole Foods, Gardner’s Market and online).

How’s your summer garden going? What are you growing? Below is an update on my garden. I have to admit it wasn’t easy: in only two months, I had to deal with two different tomato diseases. An experienced farmer would just throw them away to prevent the disease from spreading, but I have hope that my plants are strong, so I used organic soap to clean them and am keeping my fingers crossed. My strawberries are also looking weird and I haven’t been able to eat them yet because they don’t look right. Do you know what could be wrong? You’ll notice that I also added a few new things, including aloe, which is great for the skin.