Food lusting

I've been growing herbs on my roof terrace for a few months now and, much as I tend them with love and care, I am unable to get them to grow as well as I could in my lovely North London windowsill. I'm not actually talking size here - the plants upstairs are prolific. Its just that they all have a raggedy edge to them and they just don't taste the same. The basil and sage have much stronger flavour and whilst pesto works well (although I've found the Japanese mitzuna leaf far better) the cravings I have for basil and mozzarella salad can never quite be satiated.

The lovely @libertylondongirl recently twittered about a salad using mint and mozzarella with peach and I have been lusting after it ever since. I have mint in abundance, again with a slightly battered look but it all does go down the same way. Fruit though can be a challenge in Japan - I have really missed a summer filled with raspberries and plums in abundance. That's not to say that fruit isn't available, but as Japan is able to grow only a very little, pretty much all the fruit is imported. This means that it is very expensive - I have actually seen a bunch of grapes for sale at a specialist fruit shop for around £50. Fruit is also prized for its perfection and often comes wrapped in tissue and packed individually. The fruit has a very short season - strawberries, although possibly the most delicious I have ever tasted, were on sale for literally two months. Today though my local supermarket had a special offer on peaches at 3 for 400 yen (about £3) so I took it as a sign and tonight we are having the dish of my current fantasies.

Cheese too here is limited, but it is available. Naturally its vacuum packed to an inch of its life but it has the same vague taste. I will however be imagining mine came from the buffalo mozzarella stand at Borough Market as I eat mine!

Basically the recipe is this

Couple of peaches - I skinned mine but you could be lazy, especially if they are organic

Big fat ball of mozzarella

Bunch of mint

Salt and pepper

Good olive oil and a light sprinkling of balsamic

Eat with good bread but don't tell me about it because our bread shop is shut for 2 weeks holiday!