Fancy Caprese salad

Good to know!

The term used for the real  di Bufala Campana Mozzarella cheese is unfortunately also used for the ordinary di Bufala Mozzarella produced and industrialized from cow milk in many countries apart from Italy. The Mozzarella di Bufala Campana trademark and DOC status granted in 1993 only comes from buffalo milk and is  manufactured under strict regulations in areas ranging from Rome in Lazio to Paestum, Campania and a production area near Foggia, Puglia. It’s a fresh soft semi-elastic textured cheese belonging to pasta filata family. The process of making this cheese includes heating the curd to a point where it can be stretched and formed into various shapes. This gives the snowy white mozzarella a mild yet slightly sour taste. This cheese pairs with Beaujolais, Sauvignon blanc and white wine.

​The real balsamic vinegar will be marked with traditional and/or DOC . It is  an artisan product from Modena, in Italy and is made with grape must that is simmered to make a concentrate, allowed to ferment, then, for a minimum of 12 years, matured in barrels of progressively decreasing size, made with different woods in order to impart different flavors. The result is dark, rich and syrupy. It needs to be used very sparingly, it is very expensive.

What you will likely find at local  grocery store combine grape must with wine vinegar. This vinegar is typically aged from 2 months to 3 years in large oak barrels. It is industrial made and it is more affordable. It is called Aceto Balsamic di Modena.