European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 4, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Story and photos by Robert Leonard Naples b Jereau t o americans Mozzarella is synonymous with pizza. But in Naples. Italy Mozzarella Isa gourmet s Delight. Not Only to be Savo Redon the pizza it is a meal unto Itsell. True Mozzarella is usually served alone As a course alter the main meal. The Mozzarella produced in the United states and elsewhere is usually made from cow s milk. True Mozzarella is made from Buffalo milk. Since cows vastly outnumber buffaloes in Italy there is a preponderance of cows milk Mozzarella. What a shame. Until one has tasted the True Mozzarella Dibullo one has not had the experience of eating one of the finest cheeses in the world. In Italy the production of Mozzarella it Bufalo is limited to the South and mostly from Lour provinces Between Naples and Camerla. Only recently have Farmers from Northern Italy bought bul aloes to Breed and ultimately to produce Mozzarella. The traditional proven of making Mozzarella is performed from beginning to end by hand. Ii is a Craft that sometimes is passed from generation to generation but certainly it is Learned Only through an apprenticeship program. Tommaso Izzo. The Capo Rossof one of the More popular Cas Rifici cheese factories is a third generation Mozzarella maker. He is distinguished in his Job by being Able to look at milk and Tell what animal it comes from. This is a very important Point in the manufacture of Mozzarella. Because there Are Farmers who water Down True Bullaro milk with cow s milk. This watering Down will hopefully be eliminated in april with an italian Law that will require Case Fie to Label each piece of cheese with the ingredients. Most of the Case to that manufacture Mozzarella Are Small because of the amount of Buffalo milk available. Most Buffalo farms Are mom and pop operations because the average Buffalo does t produce More than eight or nine liners per Day compared with a cow that gives about 25 liners per Day. Some Farmers because of this Small production will add some cow milk to what they sell As pure Buffalo Nilk. This has created a problem for the cheese factories they Are never really sure if the milk they Are getting is Buffalo milk or if there is cow milk added. Buffalo milk i much thicker and creamier than cow s milk and has a better consistency for making Dairy products said Paolo Ambrosia the director of the largest cooperative and cow s milk has a High concentration of  according to several Buffalo Farmers Mozzarella should be made Only from Buffalo s milk. In these Small farms the Buffalo Are usually productive for 40 years at which time they Are sold Lor meat. The proc ii of making Mozzarella is Worth the weight in Gold to see. The owners of the Case Ilici that were visited greeted us with open arms which is so typical of the neapolitan. They not Only open their Homes but they also open their businesses and Are More than anxious to share their Mozzarella with you. In Lack in the largest cooperative the director selected a Large piece of Mozzarella right out of the vat where it soaks and wailed patiently for approval a Hile it was Eafen. He was nol satisfied with just a bite or two he suggested the whole piece close to a Pound be eaten. The name pm. Zarella comes from the italian verb Moi Zate. Which Means to Cut Oft. The Capo and Only the Capo actually cuts off the pieces by hand. It takes knowing hands to Cut off just the right amount. Originally when Mozzarella was made a substance called Caglio was added to coagulate the milk. Caglio is an extract from the membrane lining of lambs and was used to curdle the milk. Today with More modern technology Caglio is produced in laboratories. The actual process of making Mozzarella is not at All complicated. The milk slays in containers with the Caglio. From Early morning to mid afternoon under the watchful eyes of the Capo. When the Capo teels that the coagulation is done the cheese is put into a shredder and then cooked in boiling Waler until if becomes a Gummy dough. The Capo then begins kneading the dough until he has the right consistency arid then he turns Over the kneading to an assistant. It is now time to Cut the dough with his hands lopping off chunks that weigh about a Pound. At this Point the dough is placed in the tanks of sail water Lor 12 hours usually overnight. The chunks must be turned in the water. M that the part where the Capo Cut it off is facing the Bottom the Lank or else there would be cheese shaped like a pizza. The largest cooperative in Italy has 28 members All Are owners of buffaloes farms and collectively own 15.000 Buffalo. The cooperative has customers ail Over Europe and three years ago began shipping to new York. The limited Thell life of Mozzarella has been a problem it lasts three Days. Now they can ship it to new York in half a Day. It is shipped with a certificate of Quality and Hygiene. With the Advent of new technology this Large cooperative will be completely automated within the year. The Capo aide other cheese makers will be kept on in different capacities because the cooperative believes in loyalty to its employees. If you should Lind yourself in Southern Italy make it a Point of stopping Oil at a cases Ticino and enjoy not Only the Mozzarella Dibullo itself but also the wonderful a of making it. My a 1985 the stars and stripes Page 15