Consuming Italy Abroad: What Can You Buy or Grow?

[Andrew Fenton]

Pizza bianca. There have been moments when I would kill a man to get a nice warm piece of pizza bianca, all salty and just a little bit oily.

[moosnsqrl]

Burrata, from Puglia. Has anyone found this in the US? That's one of those things that would only be good if it were replicated here since it only lasts for a few days. Unless of course you could get it shipped over night from Bari.

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burrata is available here in philadelphia from either dibruno bros or claudios. i know i've gotten it at dibrunos--the problem i have with the the stuff is that it's big and very perishable, so unless i have several people over to scarf the whole thing it's a waste of money...

but since it's puglia month over in the cooking through italy threads, i might have to hook it up.

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I'm not sure where you are but I have been served delicious burrata at Prune (LES) and would bet it is Pugliese, rather than a domestic replica.

[Andrew Fenton]

I guess the dilemma with burrata in the US is: is it better to buy an imported (and probably better) product, even though it's less fresh? Or should you buy something domestic, since it's been made more recently? In my experience, burrata loses its freshness even faster than mozzarella does, so this is a real issue.

Anyway, I've just bought a burrata from Claudio Caseificio in Philadelphia's Italian Market. It was made this morning, and I'm planning to eat it tonight, along with some nice fresh tomatoes and basil from my garden. I will, of course, report on whether it's any good or not...

[Nathan P.]

I guess the dilemma with burrata in the US is: is it better to buy an imported (and probably better) product, even though it's less fresh?  Or should you buy something domestic, since it's been made more recently?  In my experience, burrata loses its freshness even faster than mozzarella does, so this is a real issue.

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What I have access to in CA is the Gioia product that Pontormo mentions below and the Puglia import that local italian grocery chain AG Ferrari carries. The Gioia is about 10X as good though it is impossible to extract how much of that value comes from my local cheese merchant who has it driven down from SF on the day it is flown there from LA. I am trying to see if they are going to get any in for the monthly cooking thread and will post photos if I can get some. This is the same product that hot Italian restaurants like A16 in SF have been getting raves for serving.

[StevenC]

This thread is a place to document successes, failures and to ask questions or offer advice.  When in Itay, what did you eat or cook that you wish you could get back home? 

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Here are a few things I miss when shopping in the Northeastern U.S...

peaches so purple-ripe they look like plums

tomatoes that actually taste like tomatoes, rather than styrofoam

strawberries you can smell from across the street

small-leaf Genovese basil

fresh nepitella/mentuccia

horse and donkey meat

inexpensive guinea fowl and rabbit

lampredotto

'nduja, guanciale, lardo di Colonnata and other artisanal salumi

bottles of wine without insultingly stupid warnings on the back-label

Edited August 22, 2006 by StevenC (log)

[hathor]

Ever the contrarian: I have an overwhelming craving for toasted rye bread.

[SWISS_CHEF]

Jst did a short article about the famous Cuneo peppers on my blog.

You can buy the seeds here.

[Pontormo]

Thanks for the information as well as the link to an amazing seed company!

[Nathan P.]

I had the southern California version of Burrata today so took a few pics for the board to add to this thread.

No as nice packaging as the leaf wrapped ball from Puglia, but worth a try if you can find it. Seems much fresher than what I find flown in from Italy.

[pedie]

What I have access to in CA is the Gioia product that Pontormo mentions below and the Puglia import that local italian grocery chain AG Ferrari carries.  The Gioia is about 10X as good though it is impossible to extract how much of that value comes from my local cheese merchant who has it driven down from SF on the day it is flown there from LA.  I am trying to see if they are going to get any in for the monthly cooking thread and will post photos if I can get some.  This is the same product that hot Italian restaurants like A16 in SF have been getting raves for serving.

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I live in the Los Angeles area and am able to drive over to the Gioia Cheese Co. in S. El Monte. The owners, Vito and Monica, are from Puglia and I consider their burrata very authentic. It is also sold, locally at least, at Bristol Farms Markets. They also have a wonderful fresh ricotta that is wonderful for holiday cannoli.

[Mottmott]

Burrata, from Puglia. Has anyone found this in the US? That's one of those things that would only be good if it were replicated here since it only lasts for a few days. Unless of course you could get it shipped over night from Bari.

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burrata is available here in philadelphia from either dibruno bros or claudios. i know i've gotten it at dibrunos--the problem i have with the the stuff is that it's big and very perishable, so unless i have several people over to scarf the whole thing it's a waste of money...

but since it's puglia month over in the cooking through italy threads, i might have to hook it up.

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I had it once from dB. I'd made a fairly large purchase of cheeses for a party and the counter man threw in a couple of these gratis. Unfortunately, they were past their prime, so I wound up tossing them.