A few weeks ago I was invited down to Puglia by the Identita Golose folks, along with Oscar Farinetti of Eataly fame. I – and the other journalists on the trip – somehow thought the trip was supposed to be all about tasting Coratina olive oil. As it turned out it we were invited mostly to help ‘judge’ some dishes that are going to be served in Eataly’s round the world.
It was all a bit odd, with quick visits to local sites which included a somewhat industrial olive mill and a very ‘cheesy’ mozzarella showroom set up by Caseificio Olanda.
When I first saw ‘visit to caseificio’ on the itinerary I imagined a visit to a farm-based cheese making workshop, to watch the entire process of buratta being made. Instead, we were all seated in a sort of small – very artificial – auditorium, where a master cheese maker stretched, braided, pushed and shoved fresh curd into various mozzarella shapes.
Not quite the authentic experience I was hoping for.
But…..actually kind of fascinating to watch.
Although I’ve visited much more authentic cheese makers in my life (here and here for instance) , this guy was pretty amazing. He’s actually the son of the owners and recently travelled to NYC to teach the Eataly cheesemongers there how to make their own mozzarella.
So I thought I’d share this little video with you. Please keep in mind that the music in the background is not my addition. This was playing the entire time we watched. (I told you it was in a stage-like setting and I guess Olanda thought the cheese demonstration needed a snappy sound track.)
You may have to watch it a few times, his hands are working so fast. And the entire process is a bit mesmerizing and rythmic.
Sort of mozzarella meditation. 
Wow. That beats potery any time.
Potery? Is that a mix between poetry and pottery?
No, that’s just me attempting spelling on spumante. But there is definite poetry in cheese making. As for pottery…
If this guy taught the cheese makers at Eataly in NYC to make their mozzarella, then he did a good job because the fresh mozzarella at Eataly is now very good. We just brought some home this weekend (along with terrific fresh pasta and olive bread.) It is just firm enough for slicing and has a fresh clean taste, which I can only describe as being able to taste the water in the mozzarella.
@Jake: Can’t wait to try the mozzarella at Eataly myself. I was there yesterday, for the first time, but had only a few minutes to run around and look. Hope to get back next week to get some serious eating done.
la coratina, in my opinion, is not only the best olive oil in the world, but a haunting addition to the fresh cheeses of puglia: if you want to choose just one flavour to place you in Central Puglia, it would have to be the bitter edge of coratina mixed with the sweet lactose of the fresh cheeses of le murge. When away, it’s the flavour I always miss most.
Silvestro Silvestori
owner of The Awaiting Table