Mozzarella (young cheese)

Cheese lovers have long debated which type of cheese mozzarella belongs to. This type is unique due to its production time. Any cheese needs time to mature: Parmesan takes six months, grana padano – a year, and it only takes six hours to turn milk into mozzarella. Milk the buffalo in the morning, take the milk to the cheese factory, and by lunchtime, the cheese will be on the table.

Cow or buffalo. Classic mozzarella is made from the milk of black water buffalo. Genuine mozzarella is only found in Italy, and those who can't get there will have to make do with balls of it in a brine. It does contain cow's milk, but that doesn't detract from the taste!

What should a real cheese of this type be like? A yellow tint indicates it wasn't stored properly. It should be firm, like a ping-pong ball, with a slight bump.

What do you eat mozzarella with? This is a versatile dish. Italians eat it with olives and white wine, or with berries and vermouth. Ideal pairings for mozzarella include tomatoes and basil.

Enjoy the taste of this amazing cheese!