When I lived in Italy, one of my favorite antipasti dishes was a rare Italian cheese called Mozzarella di Bufala Campana. Made from buffalo milk in the central and southern regions of Italy, the mild, smoky cheese is similar inconsistency to what we in America know as fresh mozzarella.I know what you're thinking: Buffalo milk?
Since when are people breeding water buffalo? Actually, the practice of raising water buffalo was developed in the marshlands between Naples and Caserta. Because the land was undeveloped, could farmers breed and raise buffalo in a roaming, wild state.
The cheese holds a "Protected Designation of Origin" from the European Union, which means that only products genuinely originating in that region are allowed in commercial use. So, if you do decide to make some cheese out of your friendly neighborhood water-buffalo, just know that you are going to have to call it by a different name if you want to sell it!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-22-2006 @ 6:00PM
Ed said...
mozzarella di bufala isn't really all that rare. It's a must on a traditional neapolitan pizza (despite people using cow's milk fior di latte instead at a lot of places).
Good retailers and neapolitan pizzerias should have mozzarella di bufala on hand. The main reason you don't see it much in the US is because it's very perishable, so it has to be sold/used pretty quickly.
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5-22-2006 @ 7:21PM
liz said...
yeah, it's not hard to find in larger american cities. probably available at specialty shops in smaller cities as well.
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5-22-2006 @ 8:52PM
Jason Young said...
The strange thing (to me) is that they have entire meals centered around this cheese! Quite strange to see a lady digging into a giant piece of cheese rather than a piece of chicken or beef.
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7-31-2006 @ 4:37PM
AltaJoe said...
In Capri, we started every meal with a salad of a pie shapped hunk of wet, soft buffalo mozarella topped with Tomato, Rockette and Olive Oil.
I've been trying to find a local mozarella maker (I'd have to settle for cow's milk) in the pie shape. So far no luck.
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8-06-2006 @ 11:04AM
AltaJoe said...
The second arrived on time and in perfect order as well. WinesTilSoldOut is now a daily visit. If only I had the time and the money.....
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