Buffalo Mozzarella DOP, a precious Italian treasure

Mozzarella di Bufala PDO is the undisputed queen of the Campania culinary tradition. 
But what is the history of the famous "White Gold", which has entered our kitchens for centuries and makes every dish on our tables special?

THE BEGINNING OF HISTORY, FARMING AND THE MIDDLE AGES

The history of Mozzarella di Bufala DOP is centuries-old and full of important and turning points that are intertwined with those experienced by the men and women of our territory.
Already in 1300 it appears in some manuscripts which say that the monks of the Monastery of San Lorenzo in Capua offered traveling pilgrims a piece of bread and a fresh cheese produced with buffalo milk, called "provatura" or "mozza".
The latter derived from the activity employed by the monks and farmers of the time to cut the stretched curd with the index finger and thumb, an art that is still used by expert cheesemakers.
Other sources, however, tell us how buffalo mozzarella spread rapidly in Italy, and in particular in Campania, through the introduction of the first buffalo farms that came from Sicily or Normandy.
In the Middle Ages, the first dairies and the first buffalore arose, circle-shaped masonry buildings dedicated to the milk transformation phase.
As a consequence of these new entrepreneurial realities, a flourishing trade in dairy products made with buffalo milk developed, which saw the Caserta area and the province of Salerno as the beating heart of these first dairy activities.
In particular:
• Buffalo Mozzarella was sold in the nearest markets, such as Capua, Aversa and in the Salerno area, to be consumed as soon as possible given its particular freshness;
• Smoked and matured cheeses, such as provola, were, however, marketed in more distant areas, precisely because of their greater preservation.



THE BOURBONS AND THE GREAT BUFFALO MOZZARELLA DAIRY 

The heyday of buffalo mozzarella, in which it became a widely consumed product, was the Bourbon era.
In the second half of the 1700s the Bourbon royals decided to create a buffalo farm in the Regia of Carditello, in order to directly produce buffalo milk and market it both within their own court and in nearby cities.

The first large dairy in history was also built in the palace, which produced not only mozzarella but also many other fresh and mature cheeses, 
With the unification of Italy, the White Gold saw its prestige increase and the first wholesale market for Mozzarella di Bufala Campana and dairy derivatives of fresh buffalo milk, the Taverna, was established in Aversa.

However, we should wait for the 20th century to have more detailed regulations that protect our product and its quality throughout the world.

 

THE PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN AND THE PROTECTION CONSORTIUM

After the period of splendor of the early 19th century, there was a drastic reduction in buffalo numbers due mainly to the reclamation of many territories, which went from breeding land to building land
in which to build new cities.

Many farms and dairy businesses closed their doors and during the period of the two world wars the situation worsened further.

But with the economic boom of the fifties and sixties, the world of buffalo mozzarella returned to full activity, also thanks to the tenacity and foresight of many dairy entrepreneurs.

The determination and passion that distinguishes many of the agricultural and dairy entrepreneurs of Southern Italy led to the recognition of the uniqueness of the breed and in 1981 to the creation of the Consortium for the Protection of Campana Buffalo Mozzarella.

But the story doesn't stop here: in 1996 White Gold obtained the Protected Designation of Origin, guaranteeing its excellent quality also in the European Union and in the rest of the world.