California Cantaré Burrata

Bonnie: I was first introduced to burrata in the Puglia region of Italy, where it is said to have originated. (Pronounced BURR AH TA) This artisanal cheese is basically mozzarella with a luscious soft creamy interior that spills onto the plate as you cut into a ball of it. It truly was amore at first bite. I savored each bite of this runny cheese simply with fresh tomatoes, basil, a splash of balsamic — and, of course, crusty bread to sop up all the juices.

Something I read suggested the comparison of burrata being to mozzarella what foie gras is to liver. I concur….

Until recently, burrata was available only in restaurants and not to consumers because of its perishability. When burrata is freshly made, it should be eaten within a day or two. But this new California Cantaré burrata is freshness dated for 21 days. After opening though, it should be consumed quickly — in a couple days.

We had to test this California version and found that the cheese is worthy of a Bite of the Best. It’s not the same as eating it fresh in Italy, but it’s a close second.

Serve it at room temperature for the fullest flavor, using a serrated knife to cut it into quarters.

Some serving suggestions

• On crusty Italian bread with fresh tomato, basil, sea salt and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar
• Serve on endive leaves with freshly cracked pepper
• Serve with grilled peaches or pears, sea salt and a drizzle of port
• Use in a panini with prosciutto
• Use in sandwich with bacon and tomato slices on hearty whole grain bread
• Top toasted Italian bread slices along with arugula and piquillo peppers
• Toss with freshly cooked pasta, diced tomatoes, basil and garlic. Drizzle with a soupçon olive oil
• Top grilled vegetables, then drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Bryan: Growing up in New Haven (a strongly Italian-influenced food city), I thought I was pretty well versed in the ways and means of the mozzarella. I can still remember, as a little boy, going to one of the many specialty grocery stores in town (Luzzi’s Market) to pick up fresh bread and cheese. My treat on the way home always was a handful of bite-sized mozzarella balls, lightly dipped in salt water. I loved the texture and chewiness, the creaminess and saltiness. The entire experience was one of true food bliss! When we got home, my brother and I would delve into the larger portions of cheese; tearing at warm, crusty sesame bread to top with fresh tomatoes (from the farm stand down the street), basil (from our garden) and the delectably rich and creamy mozzarella.

Fresh, aged, smoked, salted, braided, chopped, melted or strewn atop a pizza crust, my childhood involved almost anything and everything mozzarella. Or so I thought…

I was eagerly anticipating my package from Cantaré Foods from the moment I heard about its imminent arrival. Being a northern transplant to the South, the thought of a shipment of artisanal Italian cheeses right to my doorstep seemed too good to be true! To my wonderment, something I had really never seen before showed up at my door. Somehow, in my culinary explorations, I have missed burrata. I could only wonder, “How did I let this happen?”

Fresh burrata is a bit rarer than your average piece of mozzarella; best when eaten within 24 hours and considered past its prime the next day, the product is not the easiest of cheeses for your average market to stock. Burrata is a surprise package, a wonderful example of textures and richness. Consider it almost a mozzarella dumpling. Traditional burrata looks like a normal ball of mozzarella, but looks can be deceiving! Though it has an outer shell of solid cheese, the inside is very different, containing fresh mozzarella and fresh cream. Making burrata involves forming the still-hot mozzarella cheese into a pouch, which is then filled with the mozzarella/cream mixture (panna) before being sealed to set.

Cantaré Foods’ version is a great way to keep this uniquely delicious product in your home. The cheese is sealed in liquid and stored in a plastic container, making it refrigerator stable for longer than two days. I broke into my first package immediately, despite it’s brief shelf life. Toasted ciabatta bread, fresh tomatoes and basil formed the rest of my meal with a light pinot gris providing additional punch to this late afternoon snack. A friend and I got a bit more inventive for the second package of luscious cheese; we decided to break out the grilled pizza! Thinly sliced grilled zucchini and fresh heirloom tomatoes were smothered in the melting burrata, all over piping hot, grilled pizza dough; “FRICK” was the only word that could be used to describe the outrageous colors, aromas and flavors! This really is the “foie gras” of mozzarella!