This week I had the chance to spend a few hours in Milan, and of course I couldn’t resist. Ever since I moved from Milan to Zurich in 2005 I have been pining away for my former home - an elegant, vibrant city full of monumental architecture, artistic treasures, and high fashion. But really it’s all about the food.
We arrived just in time for lunch, and I knew exactly where we were headed: Obika, the tragically hip and delicious mozzarella bar in the Brera district. Fresh balls of buffalo mozzarella from the southern regions of Italy are brought in daily and displayed in big glass tanks, like lobsters at a New England seafood restaurant. Except mozzarella doesn’t have claws. I always have a salad topped with a big ball of smoked mozzarella, but really you can’t go wrong ordering almost anything the place has to offer (well, unless you happen to hate mozzarella, in which case what are you doing at this restaurant?).
After lunch we enjoyed a stroll around the Castello Sforzesco, eagerly anticipating the dessert which awaited us on the other side. Chocolat serves up some of the most delicious gelato I’ve ever had (and trust me, having spent over two years of my life in Italy, I’ve had plenty of the stuff).
Having a little extra time before our departure (but not wanting to wander around too much in the afternoon drizzle), I dragged my friend over to Peck, a little slice of gourmet heaven near the Duomo. I treat this up-market grocery like a museum, visiting even when I have no intention of purchasing anything, drooling over the succulent displays of cheeses, pastries, and exotic vegetables. Upstairs there is a café, and downstairs an elaborate wine cellar, but I prefer the ground floor with all its pretty, pretty food.
Alas, we had to leave Milan before the enchanting aperitivo hour, when many bars offer a selection of free nibbles (or stuzzichini) to accompany your before-dinner drink. Luckily we were off to another part of Italy for dinner, though, so my disappointment was only fleeting. I spent the train ride to Padua fantasizing about what we would be eating next, while my traveling companion munched on the cheese-filled rice ball she had purchased at Peck. It’s all about the food.
Comments (2)
Is Milanese mozzarella the relatively hard kind we get in the US. Or is there any of the very soft, runny mozzarella--more like a cross between mozzarella and ricotta--that I have had occasionally here ("burata di mozzarella" is how I have seen it labeled, but I don't know what that means, or if it's really even mozzarella)
Posted by david | April 10, 2007 2:44 PM
Posted on April 10, 2007 14:44
Italian mozzarella is completely different from the hard stuff most of us grew up with in the US. It’s soft and creamy (but not runny), unsalted, and comes packed in water to maintain its texture. And did I mention it’s insanely delicious? Fresh mozzarella is pretty easy to find in places like New York, but can be hard to come by in areas where Italian cheeses aren’t as revered. Whole Foods and other stores with gourmet cheese counters should carry it, though.
Burrata is a similar Italian cheese which has a semi-firm outside (basically the same as the Italian mozzarella I described above), but a nearly-liquid center (as you mentioned). It’s some pretty good stuff, too. Italian cheeses are hard to beat!
Posted by Julie | April 10, 2007 4:37 PM
Posted on April 10, 2007 16:37