Sounds delicious. Whole foods carries (or used to carry) smoked bococcini...really delicious with store bought tomatos that could use a little umpph for the lack of vine ripened flavor.

A-

I looked at my Ricki Carrol book last night (owner of New England Cheesemaking Supply Co.). Turns out Moz in fact is a pulled cheese, or as you referred to it [/i]pasta filata.

However, there was interesting note in the introduction which says that Moz was fist made with sheep's milk....sort of blows my theory that sheep and goat are too short chained...but perhaps there are still texture questions....oh, well, more testing.

pd

However, there was interesting note in the introduction which says that Moz was fist made with sheep's milk....sort of blows my theory that sheep and goat are too short chained...but perhaps there are still texture questions....oh, well, more testing.

Hi,

I took organic chemistry once upon a time also. Still it wasn't a bad working theory ... we all begin with a hypothesus then conduct experiments or research to prove or disprove our initial thought.

Anyway, since Moz is not a high level of difficulty to make --- yes it takes skill - A!! --- but it may be an interesting to attempt for our amusement. Moz made with sheep, goat and cow milk or combinations thereof. Sheep may be the challenge ... but fair season is just round corner. I will ask around for local availability of sheep milk (as well as goat).

Ur-Mozzarella di Pecora?

PD:

Thanks again for the further info.. Is there any further indication of where and when this sheep's milk mozzarella belongs to? Or the sources we have for that bit of cheese-history?

In the part of this spago between Cathy2 and me, I said that the idea of sheep's milk mozzarella sounds appealing to me (and more so than goat's milk). In part, what inclines me to think that is the relationship of mozzarella to (my other beloved fresh cheese) ricotta. In Italy, sheep's milk ricotta is highly prized and is really delicious but in the fresh state it's not as different in taste from cow's milk ricotta as one might think -- but it does have a nice added edge that's really pleasant and interesting. On the other hand, the texture is, as I remember it, noticeably different than that of it's bovine analogue

Anyway, as by-products of primary cheese making, sheeps-milk mozzarella seemed to fit into a four-part analogy:
scamorza/fior di latte is to cow's milk ricotta as X is to sheep's milk ricotta
The question is whether X is ever a fresh and stretched/pasta filata sheep's milk cheese, not just a cacio di pecora to be eaten at various stages of agedness.

Any further info on the alleged ur-mozzarella di pecora would be appreciated.

A

When I purchased the "Mozzarella Cheese Kit" from www.cheesemaking.com about 6 years ago, it included a recipe booklet wich includes Goat Mozzarella. Much the same recipe as the one for cow's milk except it uses a small amount of buttermilk instead of citric acid.

How was your overall experience with New England Cheesemaking Co.? I enjoyed the catalog, but have never ordered.

pd

All of my experiences with NE Cheesemaking Co. have been positive. I order from them 1-2 times per year, mostly for mutz making supplies.

The "cheese guy" you are referring to, I expect, is Giles from the Great American Cheese Company. They are at a number of the markets, including the year-round CHIC market and Evanston's.

On the subject of freshness, I have purchased ricotta from him that was not fresh and returned it with no problem. This was mozzarella ricotta, or cheese made from they whey leftover from making mozzarella, and it's not good stored for more than a few days.

Antonius wrote:I've heard there is someone in New England who allegedly has a herd of water buffalo and sells the milk; perhaps there is a herd nearer by.

Two days ago at Fox and Obel, I purchased Woodstock brand water buffalo yogurt. The following text is on back of the container:

Fresh water buffalo milk products have been available around the world for thousands of years. Now they are finally available to you from the first farmstead water buffalo creamery in the United States. Star Hill Dairy is dedicated to producing fresh water buffalo milk yogurt & cheeses while promoting agricultural diversity and sustainable agriculture in Vermont's Green Mountains.

Intrigued, I asked at the cheese counter if Fox and Obel carried the mozzarella, and was informed that they do occasionally, supply being inconsistent. The newest cheesemonger at Fox and Obel added that she believed there were some farmers in Colorado, and perhaps also in California, who were starting to raise water buffalo.

Looking at the website (www.woodstockwaterbuffalo.com), and especially at the page on mozzarella reveals that even the fresh product from Star Hill is not what you would get in Italy:

In Italy the most sought after buffalo mozzarella is made from raw milk and goes through its complete cycle in only 48 hours! This cheese is not available in the US and cannot be made here because of regulatory reasons.

Their claim to quality is that, though they use pasteurized milk, you get it at the beginning of its "life cycle" and thus get a superior product to the imported mozzarella di bufala.

The yogurt, incidentally, is quite good. Yesterday, I ate a maple flavored; today, black currant, and it was absolutely fantastic. It was also a pricey $2.50 for 6 oz. However, I noticed yesterday that all the Woodstock yogurt was reduced to $0.99. Apparently lots of others found it too pricey as well, and they need to get rid of it.

Cheers,

Aaron

[Edit: You can buy the mozzarella (and yogurt) on the website, but the minimum is 4 6 oz. balls.]

Aaron Deacon wrote:Their claim to quality is that, though they use pasteurized milk, you get it at the beginning of its "life cycle" and thus get a superior product to the imported mozzarella di bufala.

Aaron:

Thanks for the information on the Old World buffalos in the New World. Concerning the comment cited above, I have had some exchanges with folks about the quality of the imported mozzarella di bufala available here in the States. I have also felt that for the price, the lack of freshness is hard to put up with. That's not to say that that stuff is bad but if you've had really fresh mozzarella di bufala, it's very disappointing. Freshness is what mozzarella is all about and it will be interesting to see how good a job these American producers can do.

Antonius

I have gotten fresh mozarella from the cheese selling guy at Evanston Farmer's Market and enjoyed it very much. I thought about, then decided against, trying the one where they stuff it with curds and cream. I had that in Italy and it was one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten, and somehow I think the memory would be diluted by having it here...

HI,

Today at the Fancy Food Show, I had an extended chat with a guy while he cut up mozzarella curd he intended to use to make fresh mozzarella. I remember at the Weber Turkey Class last fall, there was a woman looking for mozzarella curd, which she would stretch and make into fresh mozzarella.

From my casual observation it was a fairly straight forward process of cutting the curd into 1/2 inch cubes. He put several handfulls into a bowl, then poured salted hot water heat to roughly 200 degrees on the cheese curd. The cheese curd softened, then he began pulling and stretching until it was glossy. He then began squeezing small balls of mozzarella between his thumb and index finger.

When I inquired where to get mozzarella curd, he offered to obtain some for me in minimum blocks of 10 pounds. Once opened it should be used within 4 days. If there are interested parties willing to share a 10-pound block, then please advise.

Regards,

Caputo's Cheese Market in Melrose Park is now carrying mozzarella di bufala in 250g aseptic packages, for about $6. The package carries the Caputo name, but I'm unsure if they're making it (it is from Italy) or simply having it packaged under their name.

It has a very pleasant flavor / tang / texture, but be sure to check the sell by date on the package bottom before purchasing. I haven't had a bad one, but I don't think it'd age well !

I was there on Sunday (7 May) and was told the latest batch arrived on Friday. The sell by date was 30 May.

Caputo's Cheese
1931 N. 15th Ave.
Melrose Park, IL 60160