Thursday,
November 23, 2006
Contented
The
ANNOTICO Report
The
slogan "California Cheese comes from Contented Cows", with TV
ads showing California cows basking in mild Year round weather has allowed
California to rival Wisconsin, the former undisputed Cheese champion,
But
even Contented California Cows can Not compete with
the silkier and tastier Mozzarella that comes from the rich milk of Water
Buffalo, the fattiest among domesticated animals.
For
centuries, Italian cheese makers have dominated the gourmet mozzarella market,
largely because of the domestication of large herds of imported water buffalo
in the days of Da Vinci. How and when the water buffalo commonly used as beast of burden in its
native Asia got to
But
unlike other cheeses that improve with age, mozzarella is best served soon
after being made.
So for years, mozzarella di bufala
was flown in from
Bubalus Bubalis, A California company is named after the Latin name for the species, and
is hoping to make inroads. Their is only one other mozzarella-producing
water buffalo dairy in the
Now
the question is: Can "Contented" Water Buffalo from
Cheese
from a
From
the Associated Press
November
23, 2006
The buffalo are the main ingredient in Heick's
quixotic quest to produce the finest mozzarella cheese this side of
"There was a point in my life where I didn't even know water buffalo
existed," said Heick, who was born in
True mozzarella is made from the water buffalo's rich milk, the fattiest among
domesticated animals. The result is said to be silkier and tastier than
mozzarella made from cow's milk.
For years, mozzarella di bufala flown in from
Hoping to fill the demand for the cheese and to capitalize on a $48-billion
specialty food trend sweeping the U.S. Heick and his
Italian-born wife, Grazia Perrella, began making
mozzarella, which his wife's family has produced for three generations. Theirs
is the larger of two mozzarella-producing water buffalo dairies in the U.S.
Their company is named Bubalus Bubalis,
the Latin name for the species.
"There's a developing market in the Unites States," Heick said as he ate a slice of mozzarella and tomatoes
drizzled with olive oil. "Children love it, too."
The average American ate 10 pounds of mozzarella last year, twice the
consumption rate of a decade ago, according to data compiled by the
A retired U.S. Department of Agriculture dairy expert, Aschebrock
first tasted Heick's cheese last year as chief judge
of the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest in
"It's much smoother and creamier than cow's milk mozzarella," he
said, although the cheese wasn't formally entered in any category and so didn't
win any awards.
For centuries, Italian cheese makers have dominated the gourmet mozzarella
market, largely because of the domestication of large herds of imported water
buffalo in the days of Da Vinci. How and when the water buffalo commonly used as beast of burden in its
native Asia got to
So far, Heick is managing to squeeze out $1 million
in annual sales, an increase from the $350,000 the dai r! y took in four years
ago.
"If we had more milk, we could sell much more cheese," said Heick, who plans to expand the herd in
Still, the dairy is a long way from profitability, held down by the expenses of
an operation that is now spread across
By this time next year, Heick said the entire
operation would be located at the
In the meantime, Heick is attracting a small but
growing followin g! at
farmers' markets, high-end grocers and restaurants across the country that
order direct.
"Customers can't believe the quality of it," said David Gilbert,
co-owner of the Old Yellowstone Garage restaurant in
http://www.latimes.com/business/
The
ANNOTICO Reports
Can
be Viewed, and are Archived at:
Italia
Italia Mia: http://www.ItaliaMia.com
Annotico
Email: annotico@earthlink.net