We are Italian, so serving mozzarella as an appetizer is always something I do. I decided to get creative because serving fresh mozzarella can get messy and it’s very expensive. I thought this is a great way to serve guests and give everyone a taste. These are also great for the older kid’s lunches. Here’s what you’ll need.

Start by finding fresh mozzarella cheese balls in olive oil. They are sold in most specialty Italian stores or major food stores. If you want to make these more kid-friendly opt for getting the cheese sticks and dicing them into bite size pieces and use those instead. Then, find the tiny tomatoes and taste them to be sure they are fresh. Then try to find the small salami slices that are pre-cut or you can get the regular slices at the deli and cut in half.

Assemble these on a toothpick by starting with the mozzarella, then the tomato and last the salami. Artfully drizzle balsamic vinegar & olive oil. I like red apple balsamic vinegar by Carter & Cavero. (Our cousin, Rosemary & Frank sent it to us as a gift! YUM!) For garnish and color add sprinkles of dried parsley. They are ready to eat and serve! They will be the hit of the party!!!