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  • From: "Lynda" <lurine AT softcom.net>
  • To: <homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Another wood-fired oven production
  • Date: Sat, 8 Nov 2008 21:27:00 -0800

Well, Marie, I'm not going to argue with you about your opinions on most of this. However, I'll go with the opinion of the folks I learned to cook from and the relatives who would disagree with your opinion on what is the best mozzarella. Now, since they are all from Italy, I'm thinking perhaps they would know a bit more about it. And perhaps it is a regional thing. Although, they're from different, very different, parts of Italy. Oh well, I do know the sheep milk motz I've had is delicious. Although, the goat milk motz we've made wasn't half bad either <g>

As to the water buffalo, there are records of a similar cheese made in India in the 7th century. Of course, since mozzarella is an Italian word, it would have been called something else. the water buffalo in Italy probably arrived via Greece as there are records of the beasty in Greece long before the records of water buffalo mozzarella in Italy in the 18th century. Then again, they may have come down from the Balkans since there are some large water buffalo dairies in Bulgaria. Italy was "over run" and ruled by many people over its long history.

Now, as to sheep dairies. I would posit that the problem is the people running them. Sheep are peculiar creatures and I wouldn't think they'd do too well in the U.S.'s idea of how a dairy should be done. I wouldn't think they'd like the bright lights, the stainless steel, the cement, the noise, etc. Sheep don't "do" hurry, hurry, rush, rush very well. The pictures I've seen of the ones that DH's relatives sent pictures of were old stucco like buildings and were more natural light and the folks handling the sheep reminded me of the Basque folks up in the Sierras. Just a thought.

Lynda
----- Original Message ----- From: "Marie McHarry" <mmcharry AT gmail.com>



In Sicily and parts of Italy, lots of the cheese is from sheep. The best
mozzarella is sheep milk!

No, actually, it's from buffalo milk. I'm not sure how buffao ended up
in Italy (not bison but, I'm guessing, water buffalo). There was once
a dairy in Louisiana doing buffalo milk and mozzarella. Not sure if
they're still there.





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