Mozarrella Company Wins 7 Cheese Awards

[Richard Kilgore]

Texas artisinal cheese makers craft a wide variety of fine cheeses and Paula Lambert's Mozzarella Company in Dallas was recognized by the American Cheese Society with seven awards for 2007.

2nd place - Pecan Praline Mascarpone

2nd place - Rosemary Montasio

2nd place - Scamorza

2nd place - Smoked Scamorza

3rd place - Caciocavallo

3rd place - Goat's Milk Ricotta

3rd place - Queso Blanco with Chiles

The Mozarrella Company has won numerous awards from the American Cheese Society every year except two since 1985.

I tried the Smoked Scamorza today. It's a deliciously smokey cow's milk cheese. The Mozarrella Company website describes it as "Mild flavor with smooth, dense texture. Lightly smoked over pecan shells. Hand-formed and waxed."

Has anyone tried the Smoked Scamorza or any of the other six cheeses?

[Kevin72]

I'm a fan of their smoked scamorzza, too. And they really should start marketing their buratta more; it's divine. Oddly, however, I don't like their mozarella as much.

[jscarbor]

I'm a fan of their smoked scamorzza, too.  And they really should start marketing their buratta more; it's divine.  Oddly, however, I don't like their mozarella as much.

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I almost got the Buratta the other day but I didn't because it didn't really look like buratta? I say that being a person of very limited buratta knoledge so I could be missing on this?

[docsconz]

My favorite of their cheeses is the one with epazote. While they do great work, ironically I am not a fan of their mozzarellas,

[Kevin72]

I'm a fan of their smoked scamorzza, too.  And they really should start marketing their buratta more; it's divine.  Oddly, however, I don't like their mozarella as much.

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I almost got the Buratta the other day but I didn't because it didn't really look like buratta? I say that being a person of very limited buratta knoledge so I could be missing on this?

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Like alot of their cheeses, if you step away from the Italian product and judge the cheese on its own merits it's pretty good. It isn't comparable to real Italian buratta, but it has it's own appeal. The filling is more like ricotta than cream and curds, for instance.

[Richard Kilgore]

Based on this discussion, I picked up some Buratta today at the Plano Central Market. I understand there are many more Mozarella Company cheeses available at the Greenvile Ave CM, so I'll see if they have any of the other award winners within a few days.

Although I have not eaten Italian cheeses in Italy, I agree with Kevin that you have to take these cheeses on their own merits. If for no other reason than different cows eatening different feed producing different milk and cream would presumably result in different cheeses.

But I wonder how similar the production methods of the Mozarella Company are compared to those in Italy?

[Kevin72]

Many of their cheeses seem to have a more "buttery" flavor and texture, which I've grown to like in most cases except their mozarrella. I've had Italian scamorza before, for instance, and it's more aged and firm and lean. Also they are averse to selling their mozzarella fresh: I went to the storefront one day and specifically requested a ball of mozarella that had just been made and they said they had to let their cheeses sit for at least 3 days before selling them. That hints at a different production method since Italian mozarrella (er, fior di latte) is supposedly best within 24 hours of production. Finally, their montasio is made with goat's milk and to the best of my knowledge it's a cow's milk cheese in Italy.

[jscarbor]

I'll give the buratta a shot.

I like butter so the "buttery" is good IMO.

Edited October 24, 2007 by jscarbor (log)