Dear Reader,
The new "question of the week" feature on Pardon Me For Asking is a great success according to your comments and emails. So far, I asked you what restaurant you would miss most if you ever had to move away from Carroll Gardens. Then, last week, I wanted to know what your favorite neighborhood bakery was.
Well, I can only say, you guys are passionate about your bread. Which brings me to this week's question. So...
Won't you please, please, please answer this question?
I would so like to hear your answer.
I would so like to hear your answer.
Ready?
Here it is:
Who makes the very best fresh Mozzarella in the neighborhood?
Here it is:
Who makes the very best fresh Mozzarella in the neighborhood?
This should be interesting.
*****************
Just saw that this post has been linked to the New York Times, so I am inviting all New Yorkers to share their source for the best Mozzarella in the entire city.***************
If you have a great idea for a 'question of the week', please send it to me at pardonmeinbrooklyn at gmail dot com. I may just use it in the coming weeks.
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22 comments:
Caputos
Salted or unsalted?
I'd like to know also. I used to buy fresh mozzarella at Pastosa on Court between President & Union (where the Marco Polo takeout shop is now). Since then, I'm at a loss, so I've started buying it at DiPalo Brothers on Mulberry & Grand in the city.
This is one question I have been asking myself lately too. I have not been very happy lately with any of them in the neighborhood. My memory is that they use to be much better. I vaguely remember someone telling the law for making it on premisie had changed and that has effected the way its made and how good it is? This could all be my imagination or my changing taste. None of it though, seems really tender and particularly flavorful. It's not good when it is rubbery. It may be be my aging tastebuds are part of the problem but the texture would not be so affected by that. I will try Caputo's again, I have recently and thought it OK but I have a great Mythical Mozzarella in my head and this was not it. I love it with fresh sliced tomamto and tomato quality has really gone down hill in flavor and texture right along with the cheese. Maybe the big disappointment in the tomato is influenceing my opinion of the cheese too. It's almost summer time again and time to check it out in that favorite way with a little fresh basil. Hopefuly some of the store owners will look in on this, promote there best cheese or give us some insight. Mozzeralla has not been high on my cheese list lately and that is too bad. From my memory some of the expensive NY restaurants have really good mozzeralla but I prefer to leave them out of the discussion. I am not patronizing them much now for sure. This is a simple food that should be good from local markets. Have any of the GreenMarket stalls brought in Mozarella? I would think if it was good that would be a great selling item?
Vince
So how is it at DiPalo? Do they make it there, at the store? I really use to like the mozzarella from the deli on Court between Union and Sacket across from the Longshoremans building. What was the name of that deli? It was ownes by a Russian husband and wife before it closed and before that for years by Italian owners. Was it also a Caputo's ???. I believe brothers ran the place.
Vince
You know, not that many places make fresh mozzarella anymore. There used to be tons. Of the ones that are left, I'd say Caputo Fine Foods by a long shot.
Vince, I can tell that you are as passionate about mozzarella than about bread.
I think the place you are talking about on Court was called Aiello's.
Brooks, do you remember the place on Union between Hicks and Columbia? It was called Latteria ......something or other?
They made the best mozzarella in little plastic baskets.
It was amazing stuff.
I believe You can still buy fresh mozzarella right from the office's at Aiello's. on Hicks Street (President & Carroll?) but I think they might only be around early in the morning?? It's quite good. I do like the one from Caputo's too and the Met grocery has a good one on top of the deli counter, if you get it right after it's been made and it's still warm it is excellent!
I have a feeling they get it from Aiello's.... I have spotted an older gentleman walking out of the Aiello's offices on Hicks street with a box full of freshly made mozzarella on it's way to be dropped off at various restaurants/stores.
Elizabeth
The mozzarella from DiPalo is very good, and they make it on site every day. They also make everyday the "cacciottina," also known as "basket" cheese. It's a very mild fresh cheese that's molded in little plastic baskets. It's absolutely delicious, and if you can get your hands on some, try it. Oddly enough, and back to the subject of mozzarella, the Fairway in Red Hook makes a decent mozzarella, but if you can time it right and buy it when it's still warm, it's pretty good. However, I do agree with previous posters that excellent fresh mozzarella is very hard to come by these days.
The best mozzarella, salted unsalted and smoked,
(and I mean really smoked not dipped in a food dye to make it brown) is at Joe's Dairy located at 156 Sullivan street in Manhattan, across from Saint Anthony's Church, Sullivan and Houston Streets. I challenge anyone to find better mozzarella. The mozzarella is made there daily, they also carry different types of cheese, ricotta, dried salami(soppressata) and the best sun dried tomatoes I have ever tasted.It is well worth the trip.
Aiello's back in the good old days! How about the Mozzarella King on 15th.Ave in the 70's.
If not then Little Italy, God Bless the Italians!
I think my good friend Dolores mentioned the Mozzarella King, too. And she is an incredible cook.
Joe, I am intrigued by this Manhattan deli.
I'll have to pay a visit.
All right. Where else??????
I concur with Joe 4:13: Joe's Dairy on Sullivan Street has great mozzarella. And their sundried tomatoes in oil are the best I've ever had, too. Worth a trip on the F train to Manhattan!
Come on no need to go to Manhattan to a medium quality product when you have all the quality right here in your local joints...
No surprise that the post that promotes the quality of this product has actually the name of the place as the author of the post, how bias...
Oh well, we are only talking about Mozzarella :)
It may or may not be a coincidence that the guy's name is Joe, so will not get sucked into a conspiracy theory. Besides, even if it is the same Joe maybe his cheese is really good. I regularly buy Caputo's salted, which is very good. Have tried other local places and they're like rubber bouncy balls. Wonder if would last longer/be less rubbery if it swam in a tub of brine in my frig. Found recipes for it and is a amazingly tremendous amount of work, even more of a science than making bread or candy. The quest for mythical mozzarella is an honorable one and perhaps even worth a journey to the silly island.
Joe from Perfect Corner is not the owner of Joe's Deli in Manhattan.
He is the super nice guy who owns the framing store on Smith Street and Carroll.
He just knows where to buy great Mozzarella.
I just talked to him and he told me that the owner of Joe's deli is actually named Anthony.. The store bears the name of a previous proprietor.
Anthony apparently started making mozzarella when he was a teen.
Joe's Dairy on Sullivan Street rulez!!!!
Best in NYC!!!!
The Latticeria on Union between Columbia and Hicks made the best mozzarella, and the best sandwiches. John was the guy who we used to buy from, with Lou as his assistant. Thursday they served meatball heros with tons of mozzarella melted on the top, my then 4 year old's favorite day of the week. John and his family moved to New Jersey sometime in the late '90's early 00's....we have the bodega on Columbia and President make us "John sandwiches" all the time. Now we get our mozzarella at Fairway....its okay, but will never be John's.
Sara,
Yes, that was the place. Their mozzarella was the ultimate as far as I am concerned.
Too bad all these places closed.
The too often overlooked Russo's on East 11th Street off 1st Avenue.
It is easy to make your own mozzerella!! It takes about 30 minutes and a gallon of milk with the supplies you can buy off the internet. www.cheesemaking.com (No, I am not associated with this website). Come on guys, if you want something done the way you remember it, make it yourself!
hey, that's really cool.
Love the idea of making my own.
thanks for the info
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