Cooking is meant to be tactile.

From kneading bread into smooth, bubbly mounds, to stuffing a turkey with moist bread and seasonings, to getting your hands into a nice squishy meatloaf, home food prep is hands on.

You can do it with gloves, I suppose, if you're really squeamish. And sometimes you do need them -- when cutting super hot peppers, or if you're a professional food preparer who has to. You, the home cook, also must keep your hands washed before, during and after touching foods, to prevent food-borne illnesses.

But as a home cook, you have the luxury of getting literally wrist-deep in your food. I love it. I've never been one to shy away from that meatloaf mix. To me, it's all part of the kitchen experience, which also includes that "a little of this, a dash of that" approach, skipping measuring utensils except when absolutely necessary.

Once, for a job interview, I was asked to tell how many cups were in a quart, or some such. Partly because I was a bit nervous, and partly because that's one of those things that no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to remember, I stupidly flubbed the question. I remember thinking, "Well, I know what a cup looks like" and trying to visualize pouring them into a quart.

It didn't work. (Answer: Four.)

With today's column, I included a Martha Stewart Living recipe that intrigued me because it says, in making it, to "tear some bright-red tomatoes with your hands."

Squishy, but it made me giggle.

This'll make you giggle, too: My son with special needs was asked at camp last week to draw some pictures of "useful things." He drew a cupcake.

Music and pizza reign at the Harmony Museum from 5 to 7 p.m. tonight and Aug. 26. Head to the garden at the Wagner House, 222 Mercer St., Butler County, for specialty pizza baked in the garden's reconstructed 19th-century brick oven. Classical selections tonight by Shelly McPharlin, guitarist, and violinists from the Butler Symphony and Beaver String Quartet. Contemporary and pops on Aug. 26. Harmonymuseum.org; 724-452-7341.

St. Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Helen and Ella streets, McKees Rocks, continues its ethnic festival today. Food service begins at 4 p.m. with a parade at 7 and memorial service for veterans, law enforcement and firefighter personnel. Festival continues tomorrow and Saturday, beginning at 4 p.m. each day. Info: 412-331-2362.

Get a free lunch serving of lasagna at Buca di Beppo today to celebrate National Lasagna Day (there's a day for everything). You must purchase small or large pasta to get the freebie. Bucadibeppo.com for details, locations.

The Market Square Farmers Market will host the Toyota Farm to Table Tour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. next Thursday, Aug. 5. Spend your lunch hour or more at the restored, historic central Downtown site and get complimentary bite-sized munchies prepared from farm-fresh ingredients. Participating chefs include Jason Capps, Bella Sera Urban Trattoria; Keith Fuller, Six Penn Kitchen; Andrew Morrison, Habitat, Fairmont Pittsburgh Hotel; Mark Swomley, The Carlton; Kevin Sousa, Salt of the Earth; Sonja Finn, Dinette; Andrew Hobson, Sonoma Grille; Bill Fuller, Big Burrito Restaurant Group; and Kate Romane, Enrico Biscotti Co. Music by Amy Colalella, winner of the Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana Search for the Next Pop Star contest (can't help it, every time I hear Miley Cyrus I think of E's "The Soup" -- "It's Miley!") You might also be able to get complimentary herbs from the Highlander Hybrid Mobile Garden and enter to win a culinary trip to Santa Barbara, Calif. Also try out a hybrid Toyota and take home a John Boos cutting board. The weekly farmers market is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture. Details: farmtotabletour.com.

St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church, 450 Glenwood Drive, Ambridge, will hold its annual Rusyn Food Festival next Thursday and Aug. 6 and 7, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. No admission charge. Pierogies (spelled pirohy by Rusyns) stuffed with potato, cheese or sauerkraut, halushky, stuffed cabbage, pagach (Rusyn pizza), borscht, Rusyn summer salad and Rusyn pastries (the thought of palachinky -- fruit and cheese-filled crepes -- and cheregi -- Rusyn donuts -- is enough to make me swoon). Rusyn artisans, music and more. 724-266-2879; 412-749-0675.

All that could lead to this: Market District Settlers Ridge, Robinson, will hold a class in "Avoiding the Freshmen 15" from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. next Thursday, Aug. 5. The reference is to the notorious 15 pounds or more college freshman are apt to pack on due to changes in lifestyle. Learn how to stock your dorm or apartment with healthy options and to prepare easy recipes. $20. 412-788-5392, marketdistrict.com.

Tomato and Basil Pasta

PG tested

This is an easy twist on classic Caprese salad. Get your hands into it. It's fun tearing up those tomatoes. The recipe calls for a pound of burrata or mozzarella cheese. I found a half pound to be plenty, and buffalo mozzarella was delicious.

-- Margi Shrum

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 thinly slice garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, more to taste.
• 1 pound cooked and drained short pasta
• 4 medium tomatoes
• 1 pound buffalo mozzarella cheese
• Fresh basil leaves

Combine olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add pasta and toss thoroughly. Tear tomatoes and mozzarella in pieces to a size you like and scatter over pasta.

Garnish with small basil leaves and sprinkle with pepper.

-- Martha Stewart Living, Aug. 2010

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