Mozzarella di Bufala Day

The story

Mozzarella di bufala is the soft, milky cheese of Campania, spun from water buffalo milk into glossy balls that weep whey when torn. Unlike firmer cow's-milk mozzarella meant for pizza, buffalo mozzarella is best eaten fresh—cool, springy, and tasting of cream and grass. Producers in the plains south of Naples stretch the curd by hand or machine, form it into bocconcini or larger orbs, and pack it in lightly salted brine. A good ball should squeak gently against the teeth and perfume a Caprese salad without needing much else.

The cheese carries PDO protection and a landscape of farms, wetlands, and dairies that define southern Italian identity. It appears at lunch tables with tomatoes and basil, on antipasto platters, or simply alone with olive oil and crusty bread. On Mozzarella di Bufala Day, buy the freshest ball you can find, tear it at the table rather than slicing cold from the fridge, and dress it lightly. Share Caprese with ripe tomatoes, or enjoy the cheese plain to taste its true character. Celebrating buffalo mozzarella is celebrating Campania's liquid gold in solid form.