Mozzarella was first enjoyed by Italians as a soft fresh cheese. To give it a longer shelf life, cheesemakers later made it with lower moisture.

Today, mozzarella rates second only to Cheddar in popularity in the United States. The process in which the curds are dipped in hot water and then stretched and kneaded into parallel strands is called “Pasta Filata”. This allows Mozzarella to melt and flow and gives it its characteristic stretch.

Mozzarella has a delicate, milky flavor and a smooth, elastic texture.

Because cheese is essentially milk that is condensed it is important to choose mozzarella cheese made from organic milk, free from hormones.

Choose organic Mozzarella cheese and keep refrigerated. It pairs well with tomatoes, nitrite-free organic cured meats, pesto, black olives, roasted red peppers; for wines try light red wines such as Chianti or Barbera.