See How Mozzarella di Bufala is Made

[james]

Check out our photo journal of how mozzarella di bufala is made. From the farm to the cheese producer -- lots of fun. It's the real thing.

http://fornobravo.com/brick_oven_coo...zzarella1.html

James

[Richard]

Very interesting and definitely labor intensive.

Do you know if there are any producers within California?

[Marcel]

Gardena Mozarella from Water Buffalo

Very interesting and definitely labor intensive.

Do you know if there are any producers within California?

(M) Check out:

http://www.farmersmarketonline.com/m...ladibufala.htm

(M) They claim to be the only water buffalo producers of Mozarella in the U.S. and they are next door to you in Gardena !

Ciao,

Marcel

[jengineer]

Omg

I live in Garden-A and just this past weekend I was on my friends 20 acre ranch in Bangor! Did I know about this place - NO! We are going back up to Bangor for a weekend warrior road trip to the local County Fair in August. Will have to find the ranch.

Bubalus Bubalis www.realmozzarella.com
1207 S.Broadway, Gardena, CA. 90248. Tel: 310-515-0500
and
1944 Robinson Hill Road, Bangor, CA. 95914

[CanuckJim]

Di Bufala

Thanks, Joe Engineer and Marcel, for the link. I was lucky enough to find some imported, Italian Mozzarella di Bufala at a very fine cheese store in Toronto's St. Lawrence Market. It was on "special," but the price still made me wince. I know that there are buffalo herds around here, but they are all prairie N Am animals. So, you guys are very lucky to live in CA, because there ain't no mozzarella producers within many, many miles of here. Dang.

I'll be using mine on focaccia I'm making for a friend's store opening on Saturday.

Jim

[redbricknick]

Mozzafella'

My friend here in L.A is an actor who grew up in N.Y making mozzarella in his family deli. He put on a one man show a couple of years ago where he spouted off about his dad, and his experiences growing up working in the deli. The set for the show was an approximation of the deli, and as he told his stories, he made mozzarella. At intermission, everyone met in the lobby of the theater, and were served the cheese we saw him make. I don't know if it was the atmosphere, or the blonde I was with, or his tears dripping in the boiling water, but that Mozzarella was the best I have tasted in my short years on this planet. Marco Zeno will be at the opening of our oven, and I will do my damdest to get him the freshest of Buffalo milk with which to work his alchemy. I hope you all can make it.

[grapeape]

Check out our photo journal of how mozzarella di bufala is made. From the farm to the cheese producer -- lots of fun. It's the real thing.

http://fornobravo.com/brick_oven_coo...zzarella1.html

James

You mention in your essay that they make Pastuerized and unpasteurized buffalo mozzarella. Is there is a difference in the quality of the two? If yes, what's it like; and if no, why not make it all pasteurized?

[james]

The non-pasteurized is only good for 24 hours. The taste and texture is great -- it's more creamy and a little more tangy. A great experience. But, you have to live within a few hours of Naples (or be on vacation) to try it.

At the end of the day, they throw away all the cheese that is left.

Pasteurized mozzarella is good for up to a couple of weeks in the store.

I'm pretty sure I have read that the U.S. has banning the import of all soft non-pasteurized cheese, and they are planning on banning non-pasteurized hard cheese soon.

Anybody know about that?

I know that cheese experts love non-pasteurized cheese -- and I have to agree that they taste the best.
James

[grapeape]

But, you have to live within a few hours of Naples (or be on vacation) to try it.

And that is part of the plan, you see -- just don't tell my wife that I am planning our trip to Italy just so I can try the cheese!

[beammeup]

buffalos

I live in Thailand were there are thousands of these buffalos. I will look into getting some milk. Can you freeze unpasturized cheese?

[james]

I would enjoy seeing photos of your local buffalo. Or even better, seeing you milk one. We will wait for that.

I have been told that you can freeze a fresh mozzarella in its water, though I have to admit that I have never done it. Frozen mozzarella is suppose to last for a couple of months. That's next on my list of things to try. That, and making it fresh. More to come on that.
James

[coasterbuoy]

Re: See How Mozzarella di Bufala is Made

For the one Canadian subscribed to this thread who happens to live within an hours drive of me.... I'm considering getting myself 2 water buffalo, already have the wife's approval plus a neighbour who wants to be part of a real cow share. Sharing half the work that is and half the milk. I will post pics of my micro mozzarella di bufala project here. Also for the one Canadian subscribed: Farmers Martin Littkemann and Lori Smith have what they claim is North America's largest herd near Belleville ON Canada. The others in Ontario apparently supply Quality Cheese in Toronto.

[coasterbuoy]

Re: See How Mozzarella di Bufala is Made

This mozzarella di bufala is available from Quality Cheese in Vaughan ON Canada.
I visited the farm they get their milk from on Monday... Water Buffalos are like big dogs, cost about $4k each to buy (ready to milk) about $500 a year to feed, and apparently conventional cattle fence is useless, electric is the only thing that keeps them in. Thanks to Martin at the Ontario Water Buffalo Company in Sterling ON Canada for the great tour. Plus he sells very fresh mozzarella di bufala from his farm.