Mozzarella and a few thoughts about dairy!
This is usually a dairy free recipe blog. Since I have been on a Keto diet though, I have brought a bit of dairy back into my diet.
As you might know dairy is a big allergen and it is known to cause many issues in the body, like excess mucus and all kinds of digestive problems and inflammation.
Not everybody is allergic or sensitive to dairy, BUT if you think what is involved in commercial dairy, you might choose to do without it anyways.
Did you know that in a factory farm 33% of the cows as mastitis? Cows are also fed BGH (bovine growth hormone) to produce more milk. They are fed high intensity feeds which upset their digestive systems. It’s not a pretty picture.
So is there an alternative?
Luckily there is! I get my milk from a local herdshare. I own part of the cow that produces the milk, and I know how this cow is treated and what she eats (only grass, out on the pasture!).
I strongly encourage you to go out and find a raw milk share in your area, if possible! If your state does not allow it, the next best option is store bought raw milk. If you can not find that either, at least buy organic milk.
In health food stores there are a variety of options for better milks than the regular commercial one.
(ok I don’t want to gross yo out, but you MUST know that regular commercial milk is allowed 20% pus content…..so what about that organic milk?!)
A great inexpensive place to get organic milk and cheese is Trader Joes. They do not have organic mozzarella though, but my local health food store has at least 3 varieties!
Using raw dairy is of course the best option Raw dairy is much less allergenic, as it has not been pasteurized.
When you pasteurize milk here is what happens:
- Proteins change and denaturate, so they become non-absorbable
- Calcium, vitamin C and Iodine become non-absorbable.
- Fats become rancid and are less digestible.
- All enzymes contained in the milk are killed
The birthplace of mozzarella!
[embedyt]http://youtu.be/VuohaH8L0Ck[/embedyt]
When I was in Italy on m vacation, I got lucky enough to visit Salento, one of the most beautiful regions of the south.
That is also the region where Mozzarella originates from. I had never seen mozzarella being made by the true professionals, so I went to a local “caseificio” (cheese maker) in Lecce, where the milk comes from their own pastured cows and is brought daily from the country to the city to be made into cheese.
I hope you enjoy watching the cheese-maker Valentino and his expertise!
Mozzarella and Stacciatella
I know you have heard of mozzarella, but have you heard of burrata? Burrata is a mozzarella made for keto diets! Ha! I am kidding, but if you are not sensitive to dairy, it is one of the easiest and most delicious foods you can eat when you are on a keto / low-carb diet.
Basically a burrata is a mozzarella mixed with heavy cream and wrapped in mozzarella skin. The creamy content is called “stracciatella”.
We might not be able to replicate a real burrata, but stracciatella is super easy to make at home.
Just make sure the mozzarella you start with is very fresh, and same for the cream. Get the heaviest cream you can find. 60% fat content is better than the 40%!
- 1 medium sized fresh mozzarella, in it's whey.
- 1 cup organic (possibly raw) heavy whipping cream 60% fat
- Celtic sea salt.
- Cut the mozzarella in two.
- Put it in a blowl.
- Now, with your hands, shred the filaments, trying to preserve some of the length.
- When all shredded, add the whipping cream and a pinch of sea salt and mix well together.
- Chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Eat immediately, either by itself or with a dash of a really good extra virgin olive oil.
PS If you are interested in knowing how to determine if you are sensitive to dairy, subscribe to my newsletter. This topic coming soon!
Welcome Home Vivica.
If you ever lead a tour to Italy I will go!!!
I loved this video
Thank you Donna! Matter of fact I want to do a food tour of Italy next year in the Summer! I will keep you posted!