Mozzarellerific!

[Andrew Fenton]

Philadelphia Weekly has an article about Claudio's new mozzarella factory on Ninth St.:

The tiny 1,000-square-foot store is dominated by a 1,500-pound mozzarella-making machine imported from Italy. When Auriemma first saw it, he thought it looked like a giant robot. The machine was manufactured in the Campania region of Italy, famous for its fresh mozzarella. "It's the only machine of its kind in the U.S.," he says.

Anybody been yet? I've gotta head over there, ASAP...

[mrbigjas]

I was there during the italian market festival, but it was too crowded. I'll head over this weekend if possible.

Edited July 14, 2004 by mrbigjas (log)

[KatieLoeb]

I just returned from Casieficio Claudio with two still warm balls of fresh mozzarella and a big jar of pesto. These will be sliced and served with some of the gorgeous tomatoes I purchased at the Farmer's Market at 2nd and South earlier today, and a pesto vinaigrette. Yeah baby!

The copious samples were still warm and slightly salty. The freshest cheese I've certainly ever tasted. The texture is incredible - a pleasant rubbery-ness that I don't believe I've ever experienced before with fresh mozz.

The shop is very cool and you can watch them unmolding the cheese balls from the machine into a big vat of salted water. There a hopper type vat on top and then a large round barrel shaped die with round holes in it. I saw them switch the die cast mold from the smaller holes that make the bite sized rounds to the larger one that makes the 3-4 oz. cheese balls. It's kind of like a giant Play-Dough machine, but with cheese.

Everyone needs to get down there and check this place out. It's the only cheese machine of it's kind in the US . Holly might have to go down there and take some picture to update the Claudio's portion of his website. Just a thought...

[mrbigjas]

I just made pizza dough. I think I'll try to get the mrs to head down and buy some of that tomorrow for pizzas.

[SG-]

Does he use buffalo milk or regular cow's milk?

[KatieLoeb]

It's cows milk, although they joked about starting a buffalo farm. They sell packaged buffalo mozz that they don't make themselves.

James - you want the dried fresh mozzarella, not the wet fresh stuff. I specifcally asked what the difference between the fresh samples and the bigger lumpier and yellower cheese in the glass case was and was told, "You don't want to use this stuff on pizza - it's too wet. You use the dried on a pizza or on pasta."

[mrbigjas]

Kewl. Well, she went and bought SOMETHING today, but not from Claudio's, since the mozz shop isn't open on sundays. Whatever she got is what I'm using.

[Andrew Fenton]

another article on Caseificio Claudio

[Patiod]

I can't wait to go. One of my favorite summer treats is toasted Italian or French bread with a little olive oil, a slice of fresh Jersey tomato, a slice of nice mozzarella, and a tiny strip of roasted red pepper.

[rlibkind]

I can't wait to go. One of my favorite summer treats is toasted Italian or French bread with a little olive oil, a slice of fresh Jersey tomato, a slice of nice mozzarella, and a tiny strip of roasted red pepper.

What! No anchovies?