Green Grocer Chicago usually has outstanding fresh, local mozz. If you can get to various farmers markets, Brunkow is selling something just outstanding. They are @ green city, Daley, & Lincoln square (at least).

For commercial, the bel gioso is not bad at all. You can even get it @ costco.

Vital Information wrote:Green Grocer Chicago usually has outstanding fresh, local mozz.

As much as I love Green Grocer, I have to disagree here. Currently, she is carrying Crave Brothers fresh mozzarella (packed in plastic, not water). It has the taste and rubbery texture of a low-moisture shredding mozzarella. It's totally wrong for a caprese.

For a relatively inexpensive, everyday fresh mozzarella, I like Whole Foods' house brand.

aschie30 wrote:

Vital Information wrote:Green Grocer Chicago usually has outstanding fresh, local mozz.

As much as I love Green Grocer, I have to disagree here.

Yeah, I've never actually seen it there either. Call first!

Yeah, I suppose Whole Foods' house brand mozzarella is fine . . . and I've bought it many times . . . but I'm never really thrilled with it. I personally prefer the buffalo mozzarella from ISO Bella Casara (pretty sure that's the name), but it's much pricier, certainly at Whole Foods. So while Whole Foods' house mozzarella works in a pinch, I would never go out of my way for it.

aschie30 wrote:

Vital Information wrote:Green Grocer Chicago usually has outstanding fresh, local mozz.

As much as I love Green Grocer, I have to disagree here. Currently, she is carrying Crave Brothers fresh mozzarella (packed in plastic, not water). It has the taste and rubbery texture of a low-moisture shredding mozzarella. It's totally wrong for a caprese.

For a relatively inexpensive, everyday fresh mozzarella, I like Whole Foods' house brand.

I agree w/ this assessment of Crave Bros, and would add that, sadly, Brunkow fresh mozz just doesn't measure up even to most commercial stuff. I want to buy it, but the Bel Gioso and WF brands are just better.

I can't believe that I posted to this thread in '08 and I still haven't made fresh mozzarella myself. This is the year!

For some time now I won't buy fresh mozzarella untasted. If it's in your deli and you ask for a taste, I'd be surprised if they said you couldn't try it. I get a taste of the small ciliegine for a couple of reasons. There is a difference between handmade and machine made mozzarella even when it's at the same place. You also get to taste for freshness...mozzarella is just one of those cheeses that works out best the same day (or as close to it as you can get). The last reason I try it is for taste. Even if the cheese is made the same day, sometimes there isn't a distinctive fresh flavor to it. It's like buying peaches...if there not good I'll wait.

dan

Thanks for all the responses, very very helpful as always. One follow on question: is the whole foods house brand vastly superior to the Bel Gioso stuff you find everywhere (such as Costco, as someone mentioned). I've bought Bel Gioso in the past and find it to be acceptable, but if the whole foods house stuff is better, it would be great to know.

Thanks again.

I think the Whole Foods house brand is super bland. I live right by the Elmwood Park Caputo's and prefer their house-made bocconcini. Freddy's in Cicero also has very good fresh mozz.

Recently I made fresh mozzarella and ricotta with raw milk, using citric acid and rennet tablets. The Whole Foods on Ashland Ave. sells the citric acid and rennet.

I followed the directions here, more or less:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Great-M ... la-Cheese/

The results had a fresh, buttery and slightly tangy flavor. Well worth the effort.

grace

casualcrit wrote:Thanks for all the responses, very very helpful as always. One follow on question: is the whole foods house brand vastly superior to the Bel Gioso stuff you find everywhere (such as Costco, as someone mentioned). I've bought Bel Gioso in the past and find it to be acceptable, but if the whole foods house stuff is better, it would be great to know.

Thanks again.

I've been eating fresh mozzarella of high and highest quality for many, many decades... since I was a wee laddie... including -- best of all -- prodigious amounts of the mozzarella di bufala produced around the town where my close relatives in Italy live. I know whereof I speak and I must say that the quality of what is produced in this area is generally disappointing, sometimes very much so. The best of locally produced versions get perhaps to the 'good' level or so but a really consistently fine, much less outstanding, product made in Chicagoland (or Wisconsin) I have never encountered and I have tried a lot over the years.

Very good to outstanding fior di latte (cow's milk mozzarella) can be found in New Jersey and New York, not everywhere, mind you, but also not with particular difficulty. Some is exported to these parts but freshness is then an issue, as with the products imported from Italy.

Antonius

Said it before, will say it again: $6.49 Mandara bufala mozzarella at Trader Joe's.

Don't know how it compares to what they make here or there, but compared to other bufalas readily available in Chicago-area grocery stores, $2.50 cheaper and nearly as good as Isola's, same price-ish and better than that Janeane Garofalo brand. For an everyday choice, a good one.

Whole Foods house brand is on sale this week (possibly longer) 2 containers for $6 (half price i think...)

Has anybody tried the goat's milk mozzarella from the stand at the Evanston Farmer's Market that has the aged goat cheeses including the cheddars? (not the Wisconsin-style-cheese stand that sells the Bruncow; this stand also sells vegetables and has one or two coolers of cheese at the end)

MHays wondered:

Has anybody tried the goat's milk mozzarella from the stand at the Evanston Farmer's Market that has the aged goat cheeses including the cheddars? (not the Wisconsin-style-cheese stand that sells the Bruncow; this stand also sells vegetables and has one or two coolers of cheese at the end)

I just opened a pack of goat mozz last weekend - i bought it at the Dane Co. market in Madison the last time I was there. Tremendous! Not rubbery, definitely goat-y, but not too much. I need more, so I'm glad you mentioned a local purveyor - is the stand you mean next to Nichol's, in the easternmost row of vendors? The vendor is from Pleasant Prairie, WI - some veg, cut flowers, some perennial plants/herbs, some cheese, pumpkins in the fall. I'd be thrilled to get some more of this stuff, if it's the same or a similar WI brand.

Thanks for the heads-up, in any event!

I've tried the goat milk cheese curds from that stand ... fresh, squeaky and recommended.

Yes, Peg, that's the one. They have cow's milk mozz, also, but their focus is clearly goat cheese.

NR706 & Mhays confirmed:

I've tried the goat milk cheese curds from that stand ... fresh, squeaky and recommended.

Yes, Peg, that's the one. They have cow's milk mozz, also, but their focus is clearly goat cheese.

Hot damn! So excited. I'll be there with bells on Saturday! Thanks to you both!

I am looking for place to find really fresh mozzarella cheese in Chicago area. Hoping to make some Caprese salad as soon as I have tomatoes in the garden.
Thanks!

Fresh mozzarella should be easy to find. If there's a Caputo's by you they will certinly have some. I've seen it at Jewel too but I can't vouch for the quality of theirs.
Burrata may be a little harder but I'd start by calling Caputo's.

Both should be available at Great Neighborhood Resource J.P. Graziano's on Randolph. I also frequently see burata at the Whole Foods in Sauganash (probably others as well).

J.P. Graziano
901 West Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 666-4587

Whole Foods
6020 N Cicero Ave
Chicago, IL 60646
(773) 205-1100

Every Whole Foods I've looked in has had burrata; the Sauganash store had the freshest batch, but maybe it varies. It's $14.99, although it was marked down to $11.99 a few weeks ago. Pastoral carries it as well (the same brand, in fact).

I saw both earlier this week at:

Pastoral
53 E. Lake
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 658-1250

They might have the same products at their other locations as well. Sorry, but I can't remember the prices.

Hi,

You can purchase burrata at Provenance Cheese and Wine in Logan Square or Lincoln Square.

x

Brunkow, who vends at many of the farmer's markets, has it. I bought some today at the Wicker Park market that had been made yesterday.

I tried the burrata from JP Graziano's last weekend, and it was excellent. Jim says they fly it in from Italy every Thursday during the summer. It will be hard to go back to regular fresh mozzarella for caprese salads.

Check out conti di savoia on taylor just west of loomis. You've got to go on Sunday when they still have their homemade mozzarella knots. Its my favorite, but it doesn't last long, so please don't buy it out before I get there... I'm definitely gearing up to make my own, I'll let you know how it stacks up once I do.