marinated mozzarella

I am anxiously awaiting my garden tomatoes to ripen so that I can make caprese salad.  In the meantime the fresh mozzarella sitting in my fridge won't last forever. I also have an abundance of fresh basil.  Marinated Mozarella is one of my favorite things to have on hand.  It makes a terrific appetizer to serve to company, a delicious condiment, or a simple supper with some crusty french bread on those hot summer evenings when it's too hot to cook.  


Here's what you'll need:
Mason jar
**All ingredients are to your taste**
fresh ball of mozzarella 
fresh basil leaves
extra virgin olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves (i cut the cloves in half)
fresh cracked pepper
red pepper flakes
lemon peel (long strips are best)


Cut mozzarella into chunks.  Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of your mason jar and start layering in the cheese, then a bit of the basil, garlic, black pepper, lemon peel, red pepper, and more olive oil. Repeat until you've got all your cheese and seasonings in. Top it off with more olive oil and seal.  Refrigerate at least a day for flavors to develop.