The story
Insalata caprese, mozzarella, tomato and basil in the red, white and green of the Italian flag, is named after the island of Capri in the Bay of Naples. Origin stories range from the Roman emperor Tiberius to a patriotic tribute to the flag. The Naples Chamber of Commerce says it rose to fame in the 1920s, when the Futurist leader Filippo Tommaso Marinetti served it at dinners at the Grand Hotel Quisisana. Legend credits King Farouk of Egypt, who visited Capri in the 1950s, with spreading its fame, though this cannot be confirmed.
Rival claims
Stories range from Emperor Tiberius to a patriotic mason after the First World War; the island itself is not disputed. First printed on the Hotel Quisisana menu.
Also known as insalata caprese, Capri salad, tomato mozzarella salad.
On the Meridish menu
Caprese salad was the starter course on menu No. 24 on October 24, 2026. Its clue in the game, which hints at the place without naming it:
Mozzarella, tomato and basil with olive oil, in the colours of the national flag. A grand hotel on this holiday island put it on the menu; an Egyptian king made it famous.
In Meridish, every dish is pinned to the town or city most widely credited with creating it. A guess within 25 km scores all 100 points. How scoring works.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caprese_salad
- barrypopik.com/blog/capri_salad_or_caprese_salad_insalata_caprese
Food history is often disputed. Think we've pinned it in the wrong place? Tell us at hello@meridish.com, ideally with a source.
