# Mozzarella and Water Buffalo milk **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 13, 2003, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mozzarella-and-water-buffalo-milk/174837 "2003-05-13T00:23:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Splanky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@Splanky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Splanky)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mozzarella-and-water-buffalo-milk/174837/1 "2003-05-13T00:23:43Z")
I recently learned that Mozzarella cheese is traditionally made with Water Buffalo milk. I understand that it is generally made in the states with cow’s milk. So, how common is Water Buffalo mozzarella in the states? If I went to an expensive Italian restaurant, would they use it? How about a gourmet? Would I have to go to a special Italian import store to get some? Also, how common is it in Italy? Is most of their mozzarella made from Water Buffalo milk, or have they cheapened to making it with cow milk? ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mozzarella-and-water-buffalo-milk/174837/2 "2003-05-13T01:40:48Z")
Under Italian law, mozzarella is produced from buffalo milk only. If you make a similar cheese from cow milk, it’s called “fiore di latte” and Italians consider it a completely different cheese. I’m not sure about your area, but here in New York, good Italian restaurants serve buffalo mozzarella, sometimes also billed in Italian as mozzarella di bufala. If it doesn’t say buffalo (or bufala) on the menu, it’s probably not, but you could always ask your server. Some places serve buffalo mozzarella fresh (like if you order a mozzarella and tomato appetizer), but then use the American cow kind for dishes where the cheese is melted, like on American pizza. Buffalo mozzarella melts differently, so if it looks like pizza cheese, it’s probably not buffalo. Buffalo mozzarella is white like chalk, if you put it next to American cow mozzarella, the cow kind is white with a touch of a yellowish tone. I think buffalo mozzarella is becoming more popular, so you could definitely get it in an Italian deli type shop, or probably even at a large supermarket – not in the packaged cheese section, but at the deli counter. If you want to get fancy, the Italian gourmet store will also have scamorza, which is smoked buffalo mozzarella. It has a very strong flavor. ---
**Author:** ![Strewth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Strewth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strewth)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mozzarella-and-water-buffalo-milk/174837/3 "2003-05-13T06:30:38Z")
Don’t you hate it when some dork sends urls like the above? Like why would we want to waste our time watching nothing? WHO BLOODY CARES? ---
**Author:** ![Splanky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@Splanky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Splanky)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mozzarella-and-water-buffalo-milk/174837/4 "2003-05-13T18:58:13Z")
Thanks, **delphica**! Very interesting stuff. I’m going to go and find where I can get some authentic Buffalo mozzarella. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mozzarella-and-water-buffalo-milk/174837/5 "2003-05-13T19:51:53Z")
I am not exactly an expert on this but don’t confuse buffalo mozzarella with fresh mozzarella. I have had fresh mozzarella that is how delphica describes the buffalo stuff. The fresh mozzarella comes in a squishy ball submerged in water, and I believe can be made from either buffalo or cow milk. I used to have to go to an Italian specialty store to get it, but these days I can get it at the supermarket. I would bet that finding true buffalo mozzarella in the states is difficult. Further, many places that offer “fresh” mozzarella are really using a starter and doing only the final stages of preparation on the premises, so do not assume that “fresh” means “made here from scratch.” The [Bel Gioioso](http://www.belgioioso.com/FreshMozz.htm) cheese company, US company with Italian name, says it’s version is made from cow’s milk. ---
**Author:** ![Misery\_Loves\_Co](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Misery\_Loves\_Co](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misery_Loves_Co)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mozzarella-and-water-buffalo-milk/174837/6 "2003-05-13T20:58:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CookingWithGas \* > \*\* > Further, many places that offer “fresh” mozzarella are really using a starter and doing only the final stages of preparation on the premises, so do not assume that “fresh” means “made here from scratch.” > \*\* Just to expand on this and what **delphica** posted: “Fresh” is used to denote the “squishy ball in water” version of mozzarella, as opposed to the harder, aged variety. This latter variety is what is used for melting on a pizza (say), as fresh mozz. is very unsuited to it. The subtle flavor of fresh mozz. is lost in the heating, and too much water results in a soggy pizza - speaking from experience here (bbbllllleeeeechhhhh). Fresh Mozz is meant to be eaten, well, fresh - uncooked on bread, or as a caprese salad([sup]1[/sup]), or in any other uncooked way you can think of. As for the Bufala vs Cow debate, I can only give my impression: when buying it in Italy, Mozzarella di Bufala is a separate entity from mozzarella - It’s labelled by name behind the counter, and asked for as such. If I were to ask for mozzarella without mentioning “di bufala”, I’d be given a lump of what I take to be cow’s milk mozz… This doesn’t necessarily invalidate what **delphica** posted, as it could be understood that “mozarella” and “fior di latte” are synonymous in common usage, though an official distinction exists. Akin to kleenex vs tissue in the states. . . There is yet another variety of fresh mozz that my grandmother was incredibly fond of: mozzarella formed around a core of fresh butter. It was way to rich for me - but she sure loved it! [sub]fresh mozz, fresh tomatos (roma, in season), fresh basil, olive oil, salt and pepper - yummmmmmmmmmmm![/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Sassafras\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Sassafras\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sassafras_Kid)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mozzarella-and-water-buffalo-milk/174837/7 "2003-05-13T21:08:59Z")
Slight Hijack: How common are Water Buffaloes throughout Italy? Thought there were more of a tropical animal? ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mozzarella-and-water-buffalo-milk/174837/8 "2003-05-13T21:27:37Z")
It shouldn’t be too hard to find in the states. Any decent supermarket deli should carry it. We have it at Cala/Ralphs where I work, and we’re not at all a highbrow market. ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mozzarella-and-water-buffalo-milk/174837/9 "2003-05-13T21:31:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sassafras\_Kid \* > \*\*How common are Water Buffaloes throughout Italy? Thought there were more of a tropical animal? \*\* [This report](http://www.uni-hohenheim.de/i3v/00068900/24725041.htm) claims that there are larger herds of _farmed_ buffaloes in Italy than there are in Asia. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mozzarella-and-water-buffalo-milk/174837/10 "2003-05-13T23:13:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Strewth \* > \*\*Don’t you hate it when some dork sends urls like the above? Like why would we want to waste our time watching nothing? WHO BLOODY CARES? \*\* I think I speak for everybody when I say, “Que?” ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mozzarella-and-water-buffalo-milk/174837/11 "2003-05-13T23:17:04Z")
Oh, you missed all the [fun](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=183637) last night, **manny**. All the offending posts were deleted, resulting in some apparently confusing remarks as above. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mozzarella-and-water-buffalo-milk/174837/12 "2003-05-13T23:47:29Z")
Doh! Didn’t know he got this one, too. (Mass Delete is so cool.) Sorry about that, **Strewth**. In the future, you might want not to comment on stuff like that – we make it go away, and then your rejoinder is just left out there flapping in the breeze. ---
**Author:** ![phraser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a88e4f/32.png) [@phraser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phraser)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2003, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mozzarella-and-water-buffalo-milk/174837/13 "2003-05-14T04:41:29Z")
Fresh uncured mozzarella balls (found in a tub of water in the deli) are called _bocconcini_ (here, at least) and that stuff is divine! They can be made from buffalo or cow’s milk. If we can get buffalo mozzarella here in Brisbane, Australia, I’m sure you’d have no problem getting it in the United States.