arghh. here in the US mozerella (the one in water) is so expensive...
5$ for a container.

Caprese was one of my "backup , fast foods that is gratifying and
refrehsing"

for those who dont know, its fresh mozerella (not the vacuum
package) , sliced, with sliced or small cherry tomatoes, and fresh
basil leaves, torn apart, and olive oil and balsamico ( the darkest
well aged one you can find) , and a bit of salt.

On Sep 24, 10:01*pm, Michael Nielsen >
wrote:
> arghh. here in the US mozerella (the one in water) is so expensive...
> 5$ for a container.
>
> Caprese was one of my "backup , fast foods that is gratifying and
> refrehsing"
>
> for those who dont know, its fresh mozerella (not the vacuum
> package) , sliced, with sliced or small cherry tomatoes, and fresh
> basil leaves, torn apart, *and olive oil and balsamico ( the darkest
> well aged one you can find) , and a bit of salt.

this is the place that i go to. gioia cheese company, 1605 Potrero
Ave
South El Monte, CA 91733, (626) 444-6015. relatively easy to find,
and i do believe they will ship. i haven't tried the burrata as yet,
but give me another couple of weeks until my next trip. oh yeah, the
price $12.00 for a 3 lb sealed plastic container. I was told that if
you don't use it all within 10 days then take the cheese balls out of
the water & put into a freezer ziplock type bag & freeze & defrost in
the fridge.

harriet & criters om 100F azusa

Archon wrote:

> Caprese was one of my "backup , fast foods that is gratifying and
> refrehsing"
>
> for those who dont know, its fresh mozerella (not the vacuum package) ,
> sliced, with sliced or small cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves, torn
> apart, and olive oil and balsamico ( the darkest well aged one you can
> find) , and a bit of salt.

Insalata Caprese isn't supposed to have balsamic vinegar. Vinegar toughens
the cheese.

Bob

"Michael Nielsen" > ha scritto nel messaggio
news:88d8a1a3-5c9d->
> arghh. here in the US mozerella (the one in water) is so expensive...
> 5$ for a container.
>
> Caprese was one of my "backup , fast foods that is gratifying and
> refrehsing"
>
> for those who dont know, its fresh mozerella (not the vacuum
> package) , sliced, with sliced or small cherry tomatoes, and fresh
> basil leaves, torn apart, and olive oil and balsamico ( the darkest
> well aged one you can find) , and a bit of salt.

Try it without balsamic, which is a North American addition. If your oil is
good, the flavors are perfect without it. It's one of those "sum is greater
than its parts" things. Each of those delicate flavors is exalted.

I don't know how much cheese you get for that 5 bucks, but that's less than
3 euro right now. If you can make salad for 2 from that it doesn't sound
like a lot to me. You'd pay 5 euro for the salad in antipasto size at a
cafe, more for a meal size or in a better restaurant.

I bought cow's milk mozzarella yesterday on sale for a little over 10 euro
per kilo. Add 35%+ to reach dollars.

"Michael Nielsen" > wrote in message
...
>
> arghh. here in the US mozerella (the one in water) is so expensive...
> 5$ for a container.
>
It is really a fair price. We are used to buying second rate food for cheap
so when confronted with good food at a fair price, we balk. Too much of our
food comes from factories, rather than farms these days. Or had convenience
rather than taste, like the seedless watermelon.

Il 25/09/2010 08:38, critters & me in azusa, ca ha scritto:

> and i do believe they will ship. i haven't tried the burrata as yet,
> but give me another couple of weeks until my next trip. oh yeah, the

A freshly made burrata is a preview of paradise.
Don't ask me how to accompany it, I go at it straigth as it is, with
nothing else.
Wine? Burrata can even make me forget my glass
--
Vilco
and the Family Stone

"ViLco" > wrote in message
...
> Il 25/09/2010 08:38, critters & me in azusa, ca ha scritto:
>
>> and i do believe they will ship. i haven't tried the burrata as yet,
>> but give me another couple of weeks until my next trip. oh yeah, the
>
> A freshly made burrata is a preview of paradise.
> Don't ask me how to accompany it, I go at it straigth as it is, with
> nothing else.
> Wine? Burrata can even make me forget my glass
> --
> Vilco
> and the Family Stone

Hmmm, burrata makes me gag for some reason. I'm not sure why but it has the
same effect on me as raw eggs. I adore fresh moz, the fresher the better.
It's really best eaten the day it's made.

Paul

"Michael Nielsen" > wrote in message
...
>
> arghh. here in the US mozerella (the one in water) is so expensive...
> 5$ for a container.
>
> Caprese was one of my "backup , fast foods that is gratifying and
> refrehsing"
>
> for those who dont know, its fresh mozerella (not the vacuum
> package) , sliced, with sliced or small cherry tomatoes, and fresh
> basil leaves, torn apart, and olive oil and balsamico ( the darkest
> well aged one you can find) , and a bit of salt.


Fresh black pepper is a must. I like it with balsamic vinegar as well as
without but the purists here will probably rip you a new one for even
suggesting it.

Paul

On Sat, 25 Sep 2010 10:41:34 -0400, "Ed Pawlowski"
> wrote:

>
>"Michael Nielsen" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> arghh. here in the US mozerella (the one in water) is so expensive...
>> 5$ for a container.
>>
>It is really a fair price. We are used to buying second rate food for cheap
>so when confronted with good food at a fair price, we balk. Too much of our
>food comes from factories, rather than farms these days. Or had convenience
>rather than taste, like the seedless watermelon.

Five dollars is cheap for cheese nowadays... even Velveeta is pricy
these days:
http://www.amazon.com/Velveeta-Loaf-...5443556&sr=1-1

On Sat, 25 Sep 2010 10:41:34 -0400, "Ed Pawlowski"
> wrote:

>Or had convenience
>rather than taste, like the seedless watermelon.

I don't eat much watermelon, but the last two seedless ones I ate had
fantastic taste.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

sf > wrote:

>On Sat, 25 Sep 2010 10:41:34 -0400, "Ed Pawlowski"
> wrote:
>
>>Or had convenience
>>rather than taste, like the seedless watermelon.
>
>I don't eat much watermelon, but the last two seedless ones I ate had
>fantastic taste.

The flavor of water melon depends on whether ripe when picked... any
variety can taste off when harvested unripe. I like the refrigerator
sized watermelons, I can't eat all of those monster ones before it
goes off and I don't like to buy cut melon.

> It is really a fair price. We are used to buying second rate food for cheap
> so when confronted with good food at a fair price, we balk. *Too much of our
> food comes from factories, rather than farms these days. *Or had convenience
> rather than taste, like the seedless watermelon.

Well, when I am used to get it for 1.5$ in both Denmark and Italy
supermarkets, 5$ is a lot

"Michael Nielsen" > ha scritto nel messaggio

> It is really a fair price. We are used to buying second rate food for
> cheap> so when confronted with good food at a fair price, we balk. Too
> much of our> food comes from factories, rather than farms these days. Or
> had convenience
> rather than taste, like the seedless watermelon.

Well, when I am used to get it for 1.5$ in both Denmark and Italy
supermarkets, 5$ is a lot

I cannot get it here in Italy for that. How much do you get for $1.50 and
why not euro 1.50?

$5 for how much?
$1.50 for how much?

> I'd rather purchase it in logs so I can slice it thinly for that dish,

The logs are not meant for caprese. Its more for cooking heated
dishes , melting it, like pizza, aubergine rolls with mozerella
inside, etc.

On Sep 27, 8:26*pm, Michael Nielsen > wrote:
> > I'd rather purchase it in logs so I can slice it thinly for that dish,
>
> The logs are not meant for caprese. Its more for cooking heated
> dishes , melting it, like pizza, aubergine rolls with mozerella
> inside, etc.

what's the difference? it's the same cheese, isn't it?

>
> $5 for how much?

125 gram
or 225 gram of the "dry" version for pizza and other melting jobs.

> $1.50 for how much?

125 gram

On Sep 27, 6:06*pm, "Catmandy (Sheryl)" >
wrote:
> On Sep 27, 8:26*pm, Michael Nielsen > wrote:
>
> > > I'd rather purchase it in logs so I can slice it thinly for that dish,
>
> > The logs are not meant for caprese. Its more for cooking heated
> > dishes , melting it, like pizza, aubergine rolls with mozerella
> > inside, etc.
>
> what's the difference? it's the same cheese, isn't it?

Texture is way different, and its too dry and tastes stronger.
The first one I found over here was the dry kind and I showed it on
MSN video call to my italian girlfriend who wrinkled her nose and said
" thats pizza cheese!"
So I kept searching and finally found the ones floating in water like
they do in europe.

On Sep 27, 9:33*pm, Michael Nielsen > wrote:
> On Sep 27, 6:06*pm, "Catmandy (Sheryl)" >
> wrote:
>
> > On Sep 27, 8:26*pm, Michael Nielsen > wrote:
>
> > > > I'd rather purchase it in logs so I can slice it thinly for that dish,
>
> > > The logs are not meant for caprese. Its more for cooking heated
> > > dishes , melting it, like pizza, aubergine rolls with mozerella
> > > inside, etc.
>
> > what's the difference? it's the same cheese, isn't it?
>
> Texture is way different, and its too dry and tastes stronger.
> The first one I found over here was the dry kind and I showed it on
> MSN video call to my italian girlfriend who wrinkled her nose and said
> " thats pizza cheese!"
> So I kept searching and finally found the ones floating in water like
> they do in europe.

whatever. If she likes to use logs in her caprese salad, what does it
matter to you?

"Catmandy (Sheryl)" > ha scritto nel messaggio
On Sep 27, 8:26 pm, Michael Nielsen > wrote:
> > I'd rather purchase it in logs so I can slice it thinly for that dish,
>
> The logs are not meant for caprese. Its more for cooking heated
> dishes , melting it, like pizza, aubergine rolls with mozerella> inside,
> etc.

>>>what's the difference? it's the same cheese, isn't it?

No, it isn't. The mozzarella or fior di latte that you would use for
caprese salad is kept in brine, eaten very fresh and cannot be thinly
sliced. I use it for pizza, too, but perhaps if I lived somewhere else I
might use the firmer, dryer product that might come as a log. The soft
fresh one is pinched off in increments of weight and isn't formed
otherwise..

"Catmandy (Sheryl)" > ha scritto nel messaggio

whatever. If she likes to use logs in her caprese salad, what does it matter
to you?

Or to you? The thing is this is supposed to be a place of discussion and
learning. If someone doesn't know that there is a difference, is this not
an ideal time and place to discover it? You don't know the difference, but
here's your chance to hunt some up and find out what it is. The difference
is amazing.

"Michael Nielsen" > ha scritto nel messaggio
news:5fa3edd9-5ea9-

>> $5 for how much?
>
> 125 gram
> or 225 gram of the "dry" version for pizza and other melting jobs.
>
>> $1.50 for how much?
>
> 125 gram

I pay Euro 1.79 for a decent brand of 125 g mozzarella. I can buy it
cheaper, but it tastes of nothing or is low fat. Add 35% to get US dollar
price.

I wouldn't buy that hard kind for any amount of savings. I don't see the
point, and there really is never that much of it compared to the fresh.

If I go to the local bufala farm I can buy made on the spot while I watch
for euro 12 per kilo or something like $8.25 per pound. It then sits for 6
hours getting better. If I buy it in a shop it isn't as fresh and costs 25%
more. But I save on gas.

On Tue, 28 Sep 2010 09:35:01 +0200, "Giusi" >
wrote:

>
> "Catmandy (Sheryl)" > ha scritto nel messaggio
> On Sep 27, 8:26 pm, Michael Nielsen > wrote:
> > > I'd rather purchase it in logs so I can slice it thinly for that dish,
> >
> > The logs are not meant for caprese. Its more for cooking heated
> > dishes , melting it, like pizza, aubergine rolls with mozerella> inside,
> > etc.
>
> >>>what's the difference? it's the same cheese, isn't it?
>
> No, it isn't. The mozzarella or fior di latte that you would use for
> caprese salad is kept in brine, eaten very fresh and cannot be thinly
> sliced. I use it for pizza, too, but perhaps if I lived somewhere else I
> might use the firmer, dryer product that might come as a log. The soft
> fresh one is pinched off in increments of weight and isn't formed
> otherwise..
>

I wish it was as easy for us to buy that super fresh type mozzarella
($8+ per lb seems reasonable) as it appears to be for you.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

sf wrote:

> I wish it was as easy for us to buy that super fresh type mozzarella
> ($8+ per lb seems reasonable) as it appears to be for you.

It's easy enough to find here, any Italian bakery or what they call
pork stores have it. $8 or $9 a pound is what I'd expect to pay.

Costco has the small mozzarella balls in brine in a container, FWIW.

I happen to like their mozzarella that's shrink wrapped but I know
it's not the same as fresh, just better than other wrapped mozz
available.

nancy

On Tue, 28 Sep 2010 10:40:09 -0400, "Nancy Young"
> wrote:

> sf wrote:
>
> > I wish it was as easy for us to buy that super fresh type mozzarella
> > ($8+ per lb seems reasonable) as it appears to be for you.
>
> It's easy enough to find here, any Italian bakery or what they call
> pork stores have it. $8 or $9 a pound is what I'd expect to pay.
>
> Costco has the small mozzarella balls in brine in a container, FWIW.
>
I know we can find brined mozzarella easily, but it's not the super
fresh type that she's talking about.

> I happen to like their mozzarella that's shrink wrapped but I know
> it's not the same as fresh, just better than other wrapped mozz
> available.
>
> nancy


--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

> If I go to the local bufala farm I can buy made on the spot while I watch
> for euro 12 per kilo or something like $8.25 per pound. *It then sits for 6
> hours getting better. *If I buy it in a shop it isn't as fresh and costs 25%
> more. *But I save on gas.

At teh Davis Coop i found teh bufala mozerella in a plastic bag wtih
water just like in europe and its 6$, so Ill be buying that when I
want to treat myself

In article >,
Nancy Young > wrote:
>sf wrote:
>
>> I wish it was as easy for us to buy that super fresh type mozzarella
>> ($8+ per lb seems reasonable) as it appears to be for you.
>
>It's easy enough to find here, any Italian bakery or what they call
>pork stores have it. $8 or $9 a pound is what I'd expect to pay.

I live close to SF and it's not difficult to find in her city,
which has numerous independent groceries with excellent cheese selections,
at least one specialty cheesemonger, pride in local artisan cheese
production, and lots of Italian delis. At least some of this was
mentioned the last time she whined about it here. She just needs to get
her butt in gear.

As it so happens I had caprese last night since I got tomatoes and basil
in the farm box. I bought my fresh mozz at our Fabulous Italian Deli
(note to locals: Genova). I was in there for a sandwich and Italian-pack
tuna in olive oil and saw it. It was deeeeelicious.

>Costco has the small mozzarella balls in brine in a container, FWIW.

One of my local indy grocers has extra extra fresh tiny mozz balls. Nom.
The only time I had cheese that tasted fresher is when I made ricotta.

>I happen to like their mozzarella that's shrink wrapped but I know
>it's not the same as fresh, just better than other wrapped mozz
>available.

Good to know if I happen to be in there.

I had actually got rennet to try making mozz at home, but it was over 90F
yesterday and I have no air conditioning. So, no way, Jose.

Charlotte
--

"sf" > ha scritto nel messaggio , "Giusi"
>
> wrote:

The mozzarella or fior di latte that you would use for >> caprese salad is
kept in brine, eaten very fresh and cannot be thinly >> sliced.

> I wish it was as easy for us to buy that super fresh type mozzarella> ($8+
> per lb seems reasonable) as it appears to be for you.

Thanks. I know my kid buys it in Bethesda, but she has sources that are
broader than some cities. Thing is, unless feeding a LOT of people, I would
never buy a pound of it. 3-4 ounces is more like it. So for $2 I can make
a meal or 2 pizzas. Doesn't sound so expensive when priced by the serving?
To me, anyway.

On Wed, 29 Sep 2010 08:43:53 +0200, "Giusi" >
wrote:

>
> "sf" > ha scritto nel messaggio , "Giusi"
> >
> > wrote:
>
> The mozzarella or fior di latte that you would use for >> caprese salad is
> kept in brine, eaten very fresh and cannot be thinly >> sliced.
>
> > I wish it was as easy for us to buy that super fresh type mozzarella> ($8+
> > per lb seems reasonable) as it appears to be for you.
>
> Thanks. I know my kid buys it in Bethesda, but she has sources that are
> broader than some cities.
>

Is the mozzarella you're talking about comparable to what we buy in
sealed containers filled with brine? I thought yours was fresher than
that.

> Thing is, unless feeding a LOT of people, I would
> never buy a pound of it. 3-4 ounces is more like it. So for $2 I can make
> a meal or 2 pizzas. Doesn't sound so expensive when priced by the serving?
> To me, anyway.

You're right. A little goes a long way.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

sf > wrote:

>On Wed, 29 Sep 2010 08:43:53 +0200, "Giusi" >
>wrote:
>
>>
>> "sf" > ha scritto nel messaggio , "Giusi"
>> >
>> > wrote:
>>
>> The mozzarella or fior di latte that you would use for >> caprese salad is
>> kept in brine, eaten very fresh and cannot be thinly >> sliced.
>>
>> > I wish it was as easy for us to buy that super fresh type mozzarella> ($8+
>> > per lb seems reasonable) as it appears to be for you.
>>
>> Thanks. I know my kid buys it in Bethesda, but she has sources that are
>> broader than some cities.
>>
>
>Is the mozzarella you're talking about comparable to what we buy in
>sealed containers filled with brine? I thought yours was fresher than
>that.
>
>> Thing is, unless feeding a LOT of people, I would
>> never buy a pound of it. 3-4 ounces is more like it. So for $2 I can make
>> a meal or 2 pizzas. Doesn't sound so expensive when priced by the serving?
>> To me, anyway.
>
>You're right. A little goes a long way.

Long... you must be used to very short peepee.

Two ounces of mozz on a pizza makes it not worth bothering, certainly
not to light an oven... even the lousy chain pizzerias aren't close to
that skimpy. One ounce of cheese is barely sufficient to top a small
burger.

And cooking fresh mozz is just plain dumb, because once melted/cooked
into a dish I defy anyone to differentiate from packaged. Pizza with
fresh mozz is like bloody mary with top shelf. The *entire* value of
fresh mozz is its texture, cooking *totally* ruins it.

In NYC excellent fresh mozz is everywhere (typically sold as what I
call a "twist", don't know the guinea term), even here upstate in the
boonies I can buy it at the little market in town, they have it in the
deli dept, round blobs floating in brine... I'm actually surprized
that our deli carries so many imported and high end items, they carry
a full range of Boar's Head, and a good selection of imported olives.
I don't buy fresh mozz because I don't enjoy cheese that has no
flavor, not even aroma, and I don't much care for cheese with a
texture not much firmer than cheese whiz, at least cheese whiz has
flavor.

On Sep 28, 3:38*am, "Giusi" > wrote:
> "Catmandy (Sheryl)" > ha scritto nel messaggio
>
> whatever. If she likes to use logs in her caprese salad, what does it matter
> to you?
>
> Or to you? *The thing is this is supposed to be a place of discussion and
> learning. *If someone doesn't know that there is a difference, is this not
> an ideal time and place to discover it? *You don't know the difference, but
> here's your chance to hunt some up and find out what it is. *The difference
> is amazing.

I have seen the fresh mozzerella that is sold in brine in many
different forms: from balls of all sizes (olive pit size, cherry size,
golf ball size, baseball size), braided and yes, shaped in logs. I
suspect the braided cheese is firmer than the balls, but I haven't
noticed a difference in texture or flavor among the different sizes of
balls nor the logs. It's more like a "blob" that is shaped into a log,
vs. rolled into a smooth ball. There is certainly a difference
between the fresh mozzerella and the aged, firmer mozzerella you find
wrapped in plastic.

In article >,
"Nancy Young" > wrote:

> It's easy enough to find here, any Italian bakery or what they call
> pork stores have it. $8 or $9 a pound is what I'd expect to pay.

At my local (Honest to Alex!! A decent Italian deli is suburban Mpls) I
think I pay about $7.50 a pound for a ball of it about the size of a
major league baseball.
--
Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Holy Order of the Sacred Sisters of St. Pectina of Jella
"Always in a jam, never in a stew; sometimes in a pickle."
The latest pics of the fun at Casa Schaller:
http://gallery.me.com/barbschaller#100263

In article >,
Melba's Jammin' > wrote:
>In article >,
> "Nancy Young" > wrote:
>
>> It's easy enough to find here, any Italian bakery or what they call
>> pork stores have it. $8 or $9 a pound is what I'd expect to pay.
>
>At my local (Honest to Alex!! A decent Italian deli is suburban Mpls) I
>think I pay about $7.50 a pound for a ball of it about the size of a
>major league baseball.

*nod nod* I got some more at the Berkeley Bowl, in between baseball and
egg-sized, perfect size for one serving. $8/lb

Charlotte
--

On Sep 24, 11:46*pm, "Bob Terwilliger" >
wrote:
> Archon wrote:
> > Caprese was one of my "backup , fast foods that is gratifying and
> > refrehsing"
>
> > for those who dont know, its fresh mozerella (not the vacuum package) ,
> > sliced, with sliced or small cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil leaves, torn
> > apart, *and olive oil and balsamico ( the darkest well aged one you can
> > find) , and a bit of salt.
>
> Insalata Caprese isn't supposed to have balsamic vinegar. Vinegar toughens
> the cheese.
>
> Bob

It also turns it a nasty color...

Ranée at Arabian Knits > wrote in news:arabianknits-
:

> In article
> >,
> Michael Nielsen > wrote:
>
>> Texture is way different, and its too dry and tastes stronger.
>> The first one I found over here was the dry kind and I showed it on
>> MSN video call to my italian girlfriend who wrinkled her nose and said
>> " thats pizza cheese!"
>> So I kept searching and finally found the ones floating in water like
>> they do in europe.
>
> Not all of the logs of mozzarella are the dry kind. We get fresh
> mozzarella in logs as well.
>


I have some Buffalo Mozarella from Italy that's in a milky solution (which
doesn't taste too bad either!!)

It's going on the pizzas on Sunday. Along wioth some Basil leaves. and a
tomato-y sauce.




--
Peter Lucas
Hobart
Tasmania

If riding in an airplane is flying, then riding in a boat is swimming..If you
want to experience the element, get out of the vehicle !

On Fri, 29 Oct 2010 02:27:41 -0700, Ranée at Arabian Knits
> wrote:

> Not all of the logs of mozzarella are the dry kind. We get fresh
> mozzarella in logs as well.

The packed in water kind? Is that at your regular grocery store of a
specialty shop?

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.