A while ago I posted about Eat In magazine and their award for Best New Product which went to Buffalo Ridge Mozzarella. I recently had the opportunity through Slow Food Cape Town, to visit the farm and learn about Mozzarella and how it is made.

The farm is located in Wellington, about an hour from Cape Town. The farm is run on natural principles with no pesticides, herbicides or other ecologically harmfull substances allowed. The farm is technically organic, but not seeking certification. This itself is quite interesting as there are many farms out there that farm organically but are not ‘certified’ while there are other farms which are certified as organic but are less so. Another good reason why it’s important to familiarise oneself with the source of one’s food. That is the only way one can be certain that the food is produced as it should be.

Wayne Rademeyer gave a presentation about mozzarella cheese, explaining the difference between buffalo mozzarella and cow mozzarella (and revealing that there is no such thing as ‘buffalo style’ mozzarella – don’t be ripped off!). He explained the cheese making process and answered our questions before bringing out a huge ball of fresh mozzarella cheese with olive oil and baby rosa tomatoes. It was fantastic! It was nearly two kilograms of mozzarella and we ate most of it!

The buffalo are pasture fed, which is good for the animals and improves the nutrient content of the milk. Buffalo milk is higher in protein and calcium than cow or goat milk and is a viable option for people who are lactose intolerant. While the fat content of buffalo milk is higher, the fat content of the buffalo mozzarella cheese is lower than other cheeses due to the stretching process.

Having tasted this awesome fresh, additive free buffalo mozzarella, I know I’m never going to be satisfied with any other mozzarella ever again! Buffalo Ridge farm is another Cape Town project which makes me really proud of this city. I’m pleased to see that consumers are demanding this product, allowing restaurants and delis to confidently support Buffalo Ridge. You can find a list of outlets on their website.

www.buffalomozzarella.co.za
buffaloridge@iafrica.com