Warm, crusty and right out of the oven — heavenly

Although I would love to make homemade bread and cheese weekly, it’s the kind of thing I have to make sparingly. Both are just too deliciously warm and fresh when first made, so will-power is just about non-existent. I rarely bake bread, but this was the easiest, most low-maintenance bread recipe I have ever prepared. And yet it tastes as if I spent hours kneading, punching and coddling the dough. No kneading even required!

As for the homemade cheese, well, this does take a bit of attention and time, but it’s so worth it. Freshly pulled mozzarella resembles the store-bought version only in color. When it’s first pulled, it’s warm, gooey, oozy and delightfully creamy. Slabs of this cheese served with the crusty warm bread, olive oil and a crunch of sea-salt made for the perfect dinner. Tomato soup and salad were supposed to follow, but we were too full …