The Mozzarella Upgrade You Should Splurge On For Your Next Caprese Salad

Caprese salad is a well-loved summer dish the world over. The combination of fresh tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and mozzarella – with a sprinkling of salt and pepper — makes this a bright and easy-to-prep dish that most people love. Whipped up as a side at a family lunch, or enjoyed on its own for a light Sunday dinner, this fresh and crisp salad is always a winner. As if it couldn't get any better, we've got a little secret — an upgrade to a single ingredient — that will take your Caprese to the next level and have your guests "oohing" and "aahing" over the best salad they've ever had. Simply switch out your run-of-the-mill mozzarella for the more unique buffalo mozzarella and wait for the compliments to start pouring in.

True buffalo mozzarella is made from the milk of water buffalo herds in southern Italy, mainly Campania, and can only be called as such if the cheese has Italy's Mozzarella di Bufala Campana (DOC) or Denominazione d'Origine Protetta (DOP) certifications. These confirm that the mozzarella has been produced from within four southern Italian regions — Campania, along with Apulia, Lazio, and Molise — and has been made with the same traditional recipe that has been used for hundreds of years. It also indicates that the herd has been fed food grown on the premises. The DOP is obtained when the cheese is produced and packaged, using traditional techniques, in the same region.

So, why buffalo mozzarella as opposed to your everyday mozza? Mozzarella di Bufala, as it is known in Italy, contains more fat than is found in normal cow's milk, which naturally makes it far richer and creamier. This extra fat also makes it incredibly soft, almost bordering on liquid it's so spongy, so it quite honestly just melts in your mouth. This delicious cheese is generally whiter in color and known for its strong, rich flavor – a far stronger and fuller flavor than mozzarella made from cow's milk. It also has an almost tangy note to it, as well as a bit of a musky aroma, which can fluctuate depending on whether the buffalo were on a summer or a winter diet in their quiet Italian pastures. All of this translates to a major flavor and texture upgrade for your Caprese salad.

Unfortunately, alongside the tantalizing waves of flavor and creaminess comes a heftier price tag. But it's definitely worth the splurge to turn your good chopped Caprese salad into an epic one! A little tip when serving your buffalo mozzarella: Enjoy it closer to room temperature (between 64 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit). Colder temperatures, like when your mozza has been in the fridge, tend to hide those beautiful flavors. So, take it out of the icebox at least half an hour before enjoying it. You'll soon discover what makes fresh mozzarella cheese different than other cheeses and find the best ways to enjoy it.