Italian mozzarella cheese is traditionally made from the milk of water buffaloes, huge buffaloes native to India (not to be confused with American “buffaloes,” which are really bison, a different species). Mozzarella manufacturers have only recently added the “buffalo milk” specification because of the emergence of mozzarella made from cow milk. Buffalo milk mozzarella is creamier and smoother than its cow milk counterpart due to the much higher fat content of buffalo milk. It is also higher in calcium and protein, and lower in cholesterol than cow milk. As a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) food, European law regulates its production in the Italian regions of Lazio, Campania, Puglia, and Molise where it originated. Mozzarella is the perfect melting cheese: it melts in your mouth when you eat it fresh and it’s delicious hot too!
