Buffalo Mozzarella Congress in Italy: Report from Day 1

Buffalo Mozzarella DOP is in the spotlight once again, thanks to the commitment of the Consortium that promotes this unique taste of italian gastronomy. Yesterday in Paestum, Italian province of Salerno, Le Strade della Mozzarella had its start. The congress was launched seven years ago, and was strongly wanted in a difficult land for innovation. For three days (here you can find the program of the event) some of the most important names of italian and worldwide cuisine will create, transform, exalt just one single extraordinary product.

Here are some opinonions and dishes that were presented during the first day of the congress.

DAVIDE SCABIN’S ADVICE: USE A MEAT GRINDER
Chef Davide Scabin opened the event with a love declaration for the trattoria, the place where foreigners look for the true italian cuisine and where the insiders must offer quality and treasures, like Buffalo Mozzarella from Campania DOP, a product that doesn’t last that long and thatmust be kept out of the fridge. If it can’t be eaten when it’s still fresh, the chef says you can work it with a meat grinder, mix it with a thickener and use it to cover up a bowl filled then with confit tomatoes and basil.

CANNAVACCIUOLO’S PROVOCATION: HANDS OFF OF MOZZARELLA
Italian chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo starts with a provocation. He grabs a mozzarella, bites it and states: “Here’s the first dish I’m presenting”. Hands off of mozzarella! His idea is of using the white wonder plain. Cannavacciuolo knows the product and its homeland very well and knows that after a couple days it must be used for pasta al forno or for gratin. He suggests to use the few days mozzarella to make an infusion. The milk that comes out of it can be mixed with coconut and a zest of lime, forming the perfect base for a tartare of tuna seasoned with oil and salt in grains.

ULIASSI’S MENU: SERUM, DAIRY, BUTTER, CREAM
Mauro Uliassi mentions Bertold Brecht and rivendicates the mission of educating and at the same time entertain the guests, using food at words’ place. He presents a little menu made of four micro dishes using all the derivates of bufala’s milk, apart from mozzarella: serum, dairy, butter and cream. Among the others, a dish with a vintage taste: cappelletti seasoned with panna, prosciutto e piselli [cream, ham and peas], where legumes and ham are added raw and cream is bufala’s. The Seventies revisited by a big chef.

THE SWEET CREATION BY ASSENZA: BUFFALO MILK GELATO
Corrado Assenza, the pastry master, presents a delicate and stunning buffalo milk gelato. Simply seasoned with orange flowers and primo fiore feminello di Siracusa lemon. This way it concentrates in a spoon a little manifesto of its culture made of perfumes and flavors. Latte di bufala with its consistence, texture and density is the perfect base to accompany ans exalt the flavors of Sicilian citrus fruits.

OTHER CREATIONS BY THE CHEFS