Fresh Mozzarella

Ever since I was a little kid I've been a little kid my favorite cheese has been fresh mozzarella. In Italy they are usually sold in individualized plastic packages, each filled about half way with "milk water" (as I call the liquid, in which fresh mozzarella is stored). I would cut the package open over a sink, drain the water out, and eat the mozzarella just as it was - no salt, no nothing! (I'm aware that's not correct grammar but you have to imagine me saying it like a NY mobster)

Mozzarella is a specialty of the region of Campania, where Naples is located. Can you believe it? Something delicious that didn't come out of Tuscany! Ai-iai-iaiiiiiii....

There are two types of mozzarella that I'm aware of:

1) Fior di latte (flower of milk - made with cow's milk) and
2) Bufala (made with buffalo's milk)

Costco sells Mozzarella di Bufala at a 'decent' price. Something on the order of $13 for four medium-sized balls. Go ahead, Patrick. I can just imagine you giggling in front of your monitor.

Mozzarella di Bufala is different from Fior di Latte in that the taste is slightly more pungent and it has a creamier texture. I personally prefer fior di latte because it is firmer and has more of a 'milky' taste. Also, fior di latte holds much better in, say, pasta dishes (because of its firmness).

Now, here's the trick: finding good fresh fior di latte - or what I plainly call 'regular' fresh mozzarella - in this area. There are several places I've been happy with in the past, but unfortunately have not been consistent. The Italian Gourmet Market in Gaithersburg - 'North Potomac' for the pretentious ;) - made great fresh mozzarella to begin with. At some point I noticed they were a bit too dry and too solid. I went to Vace in Bethesda - the first time I had mozzarella there it was great, then it became too rubbery, and just recently I tried the mozzarella and it was great again.

But a month ago I went to this 'warehouse' style market in NE DC with Patrick. The name of the market is 'Union Market' and I'll probably post something about it later. The point is that in this warehouse district there is an Italian store named 'A. Litteri.' Apparently they've been in DC since the 1930s. Anywho, Patrick and I tried the fresh mozzarella there. Our taste buds felt like they were fist pumping at a 1990s discotech (The song 'Everytime we touch' by Cascada is playing). No, but seriously - so far it is the best fresh mozzarella I've had in the country. They told me they don't make it there, they get it from someone else. It's ok, as long as the quality stays up and they keep selling it the world is at peace :)

This should be useful in making 'Babbo's Pasta,' which I posted in one of the previous months. I'm too lazy to get the link right now.

Here, are you happy?

http://massiferrucci.blogspot.com/2010/04/babbos-pasta_11.html