Ready Caprese

Fresh mozzarella is one of the great convenience foods. Slice it, dress it with a little olive oil, and some salt and pepper, and you’ve got a great salad. How hard can that be? Still not easy enough, according to Mozzarella Fresca--the Benicia, Calif., cheese maker that bought out local Ital Cheese two years ago. Its new packs combine fresh mozzarella and other ingredients--roasted tomatoes, artichokes and red peppers--so that you just have to open them up and go. It’s such a good idea that it was awarded best of show at the 2000 International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Assn. show last month.

Fresh mozzarella packs, $5.99-$6.99, are available in the cheese case at Costco, Ralphs, Whole Foods, Wild Oats, Henry’s Marketplace and Gelson’s.