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Italian Food : Making Fresh Mozzarella in Italy

Fresh mozzarella cheese tastes simply delicious.  Especially when it’s handmade in small batches in Italy.  In fact, once you try fresh, there is just no turning back. Whether you use it in a Caprese salad, melt it on top of pizza or just eat it plain, nothing can quite compare.

I’ve often wondered how exactly it’s made and thought it would be great fun to watch mozzarella making in action.  As I found out during my recent trip to Puglia, it’s a relatively simple process. One that I got to witness first hand.

Mozzarella gets its name from the Italian word ‘mozzare’ which means to lop off, which is exactly what the mozzarella maker does to make smaller pieces.

A basic overview of the process, which is not meant to be used as a recipe or tutorial to make your own at home, is described below.

In order to make the best mozzarella it’s important to start off with farm fresh milk.  Either cows milk or water buffalo milk (which is what the famous bufala mozzarella is made from) can be used.  The milk is then curdled and drained to eliminate the whey.  The curd is cut up into smaller pieces that are ground up and immersed into hot water.

Using a combination of hands and a stick, the cheese maker stirs and kneads the curds until it becomes a rubbery,  smooth and shiny mass. Once the cheese maker determines this white blob has reached the right consistency, he takes his fingers and ‘lops off’ small pieces which form the cheese.

These shapes can be the familiar round balls, a large braid called a treccia or in this case, tied into little knots called nodina.

The formed cheese is then placed into cold water and soaked in brine where the cheese will absorb just the right amount of salt to make the perfect texture – both creamy and elastic.

The result is of course salty, chewy, semi-soft cheesy goodness which is best eaten within hours of making it for the best flavor, which is why you’ll never find mozzarella which tastes this good outside Italy.

And if you can forgive the odd angle of the video I shot during the process (it was one of my first attempts at video and I’m still learning the ins and outs of camera orientation) you can see the mozzarella maker actually lopping off pieces to form the cheese.

How do you like to eat mozzarella?

Want to learn how to make fresh mozzarella in Italy?  I’d be happy to arrange a mouth-watering excursion for you – just click here to get in touch!

Charming and Unique Accommodations in Puglia

There are no shortage of hotels from which to choose when planning to visit cities in the southern Italy region of Puglia. From Bari to Trani. Brindisi to Lecce. And every city in between.

But in my opinion, much of the region’s charm and character can’t be experienced by booking a typical five-star hotel in one of Puglia’s dynamic and interesting cities.  Instead, it comes from staying in one of the more unique types of accommodation that I would highly recommend.  Here are two of my favorites.

A Masseria

In other areas of Italy this type of accommodation would be known as an agriturismo.  But since Puglia is different from other parts of Italy in so many ways, including language dialects, they are known as masseria (masserie plural).

Many of these fortified farmhouses have been completely restored and can offer a very authentic and homey experience in the region.  Offerings range from both simple and rustic to top-of-the-line and luxurious.

Located in the countryside or near the coast, masserie can be found on working farms among gardens, crops, vineyards and perhaps olive groves. Many harvest their own crops, pick and press their own oil or make wine right on their own property.  Some may allow you to participate, others love to tour you around their property or depending on the time of year, you may just enjoy the fruits of their labor. A perfect spot for food-lovers and those looking for a slow travel experience and a relaxed pace for their vacation. It’s here you can experience true Puglian hospitality, excellent food, gentle breezes and lovely landscapes.

Obviously the quality, amenities, style (either bed-and-breakfast or self-catered) and price will vary, but the good news on that front is there are so many options, the perfect one exists for everyone.  This would be my preferred method of staying and exploring the area.

A Trullo

Clustered in the town of Alberobello Italy, trullo (trulli plural), are unique limestone houses with conical roofs, listed on the UNESCO heritage site.  I read someone’s account of their experience who likened them to hobbit homes, and I think it’s a pretty cute analogy. Wish I’d thought of it.  In recent years, trulli have been restored to house restaurants, boutiques, food shops and of course vacation homes.

Many of those available for rent are very tiny, sparse and rustic – but others have been totally renovated with extra care being given to keep white interior stone walls and arches intact, while still offering a cozy experience.  Again, each particular trullo will vary in the number of rooms and types of amenities.  Some modern and updated versions might include things like air-conditioning, laundry facilities and even wi-fi!

Self-catering apartments, trulli villages, hotels and B&B styles can be found both in and around Alberobello and scattered throughout the Itria Valley. Though you could stay in a trullo in the heavily-touristed Alberobello, you could also opt to rent one outside of town which would give you the trullo experience in a more remote and quiet location.  Trullo in the countryside may even include things like outdoor ovens, swimming pools and bikes for guests’ use.

Need help finding a personalized recommendation for where to stay in Puglia?  Click here to see how I can help!

Italian Language for Travel : Mango Passport Review

Many folks who travel to Italy are often lulled into the false notion that everyone speaks English in Italy. While that may be true of the majority of those in tourism professions in large cities like Rome, Florence, Milan, Venice etc, you won’t find everyone speaking English in many of the smaller towns and villages that I recommend you visit for the most authentic Italy.

It certainly wasn’t the case when I needed directions while driving through the Tuscan countryside.

Would be travelers to Italy are often afraid of taking that first step in planning a trip because they aren’t fluent in the Italian language.  Fear takes over and instead of a fabulous dream vacation to Italy, they wind up squashing their dreams and choosing a safer, English-speaking destination, closer to home.  Florida, California, I’m talking about you.

For the reasons listed above, I’ve always recommended learning at least a little bit of the local langauge before traveling.  You don’t need to be fluent, but arming yourself with a basic understanding of the language, along with a good phrasebook or smartphone translation app, would go along way to making your trip smoother.

And I also like to mention that learning and speaking Italian can be fun!

Nothing beats having a native speaking private tutor for learning Italian, but for those who don’t have access or the desire to learn in that way (or don’t wish to learn that much), Mango Languages has a fabulous option!

I’ve used and recommended their standard language lessons that you can get on-line, and even for free through some participating libraries.  But now they have a new product called Mango Passport.  It’s a downloadable software program, designed specifically for travel.

After downloading the software for the Mango Passport Italian on my Macbook and running through each and every slide from every lesson in an effort to give it a thorough test drive before reviewing it, I’m now happy to report my findings.

Mango Passport Italy Screenshot

Here are the things that I like about it:

• Though there aren’t any pictures to associate with the words, it’s still a nice looking program.  Since you’ll be staring at a computer screen for hours, Mango really took that into consideration and gave it a very appealing look.
• It’s organized very well and gives you a nice combination of topics that all pertain in some way to traveling in Italy like directions, shopping, eating, currency, asking for help, introductions and holding conversations.
• The program is ‘meaty’.  With 10 chapters and 52 lessons, you really get your money’s worth.
• The program is designed by native Italian speakers.  The voices and pronunciation are very clear and easy to understand.
• Grammar and cultural notes are interspersed throughout each lesson.
• Learn at your own pace.  Each lesson or slide can be stopped, started, paused and repeated at any time.
• I had no issues with glitches or hiccups.  It never sputtered, had to be reloaded or crashed.  It runs as smooth as silk (on my Macbook).
• It’s very user-friendly.  Anyone can figure out how to use it.
• The record-playback feature is awesome!  You can record your own voice speaking words or phrases and play it back to hear how you sound. You can also arrange that audio track to play back at the same time as the native speaker’s audio track.  This is a very helpful feature which sets it apart from other programs I’ve tired.

And a few minor suggestions:

• In Italian, there are both formal and informal tenses of the language.  In this program, some of both is taught. If you’re just starting out learning a new language for basic travel, the formal tense would be sufficient.  It could be too confusing to use both and I would have liked to see just the formal tense.  After all if you’re just traveling, it can be assumed you don’t know anyone, yet.
• I wish they had a feature where you could just play the lessons without having to push the space bar or click every time you wish to advance the slide.  Doing it that way does let you go at your own pace, but it also requires that you be in front of the computer and manually advancing the slides in each lesson.  The addition of an automatic playback feature might let you learn while doing other things.  Perhaps they could allow an option for both.

I will also mention that on the initial purchase, I didn’t receive the license code required for download, but this is likely because I had a special code to input instead of just making a regular purchase. But an email and simple phone call to Mango Languages customer service resolved the matter quickly and professionally and I was up and running in no time after that.

It was one of the better experiences I have had with a brand’s customer service department of late – so kudos to them for being so friendly and responsive.

If you think you might be interested in learning Italian, I’ve got some great news!

Mango Languages has been kind enough to give away a free download of the complete Italian program, which also includes an MP3 version for learning on the go.

I’ll be giving it away next month to one lucky Mélange Travel Newsletter subscriber.  Not a subscriber yet?  No worries, you can join here.

And if you don’t like the idea of downloading anything to your computer – Mango is now offering a boxed CD set as a test on Amazon for five languages. Though the Italian version isn’t available yet, the French version is.

Disclosure : Mango Languages gave me a complimentary download of Passport Italian for the purpose of this review.  As always, the opinions contained in my review are my own.

Carry-on Only Travel : Three Stumbling Blocks and How to Get Over Them

Photo Credit : Flickr

Does one of your New Year’s Resolutions involve becoming a carry-on only traveler?  If so, then you have come to the right place!  For years I’ve been extolling the virtues and benefits of carry-on travel, but I understand the time has to be right to make the switch.

Maybe you need the airlines to lose your bag one-to-many-times.  Perhaps you have to pay out the wazoo for overweight luggage. Or you won’t be convinced until you spend time at the Chiropractor or Physical Therapist to recover from a pulled muscle because you wrenched your back trying to juggle multiple bags.

Whatever your motivation, once that magical moment happens and the glimmer of possibility appears, something else is also bound to happen. The objections, excuses, doubts and reasons why you can’t do it start rolling in.  You need a little tough love from someone to tell you how to get over those stumbling blocks and what to just let go of to make it happen.

And if I can help a couple who traveled to France for their two-week honeymoon successfully with only carry-on luggage – than there is hope for you too!

Here are three stumbling blocks that prevent you from becoming a successful carry-on traveler and how to get over them.

1.  The Liquids Carry-On Restrictions

This stumbling block is really a two-parter.  I’m referring to both the 3-1-1 liquids carry on rule, which makes it seem impossible to keep up your standard level of hygiene when traveling, and bringing home liquid souvenirs like wine, liquid food items, perfume etc.  For many, the thought of not having bulk quantities of your must-have beauty cream is enough to set you right over the edge, but don’t worry.  You can get over it.

• How to get over it - Spend time planning ahead and thinking about what you really need to just survive for the duration of your trip.  Make a list.  Pare down to the bare minimum and basics. Swap liquids for a solid items when possible – ie, swap shower gel for bar soap just for travel’s sake. Honestly, you won’t die without a six-month supply of conditioner, will you?

As a wine-lover, I remember a time when I used to be able to bring home special bottles of hard-to-locate wines or olive oil as souvenirs from my travels.  I know the thought of not being able to just take home bottles filled with grapey goodness may make you give up and pull out that massive suitcase again, but don’t.  You can get over it.

• How to get over it –  If you really, really have to own it and can’t live without it – pony up the extra pennies to have it shipped home.  Or get it through your head that you’ll likely need to forgo the wine (unless you buy it duty-free) and buy very small bottles (less than 3 oz) of other tasty things like olive or truffle oil, vinegar, perfume samples that will all need to be packed securely in your carry-on so they don’t break.  Better yet, savor those bottles of hard-to-find wine throughout your trip and create lasting memories  - and pick non-liquid souvenirs to return with!

2.  Doing Laundry

In order to be a successful carry-on traveler for a trip longer than 5-7 days, it’s an inevitable fact that you’ll need to do….laundry. I know, I know – it’s vacation.  You don’t want to do chores.  That’s why you are ON vacation, right?  To relax and get away from pesky things like housework.  But don’t let it deter you. You can get over it.

• How to get over it - Honestly, it’s really not that big a deal to plan to do laundry only once during your vacation. Make a trip to the laundromat at the half way point.  Or you could break it up by doing some hand-washing in your hotel sink/tub at different intervals during your stay. But if you totally can’t see yourself doing laundry – opt for staying in a hotel that offers laundry service and cough up a few bucks to have someone else do it.

3.  Packing Shoes

This one’s for you ladies out there (and a few men too!).  You know who you are.  You can’t imagine not being able to pack a separate pair of shoes to go with each and every outfit that you bring.  You think you’d be disappointing your loyal fan base who expect you too show them photos of you wearing those cute peep-toe pumps. I’m here to tell ya – you can get over it.

• How to get over it - Again, it’s about your state of mind and planning ahead.  Don’t pack for fashion – pack for comfort. Leave the stilettos home. Leave those cute sandals that only go with your pink flowery sundress home. Pare down to only 2-3 pair.  The lighter-weight, the better.  If you must bring a dressy pair of shoes, make it a pair that can work with all of your outfits, not just one.  Solid colors like black and white are always a good bet – they go with everything.

What is your biggest stumbling block when it comes to traveling with only a carry-on?

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Have you decided to make the switch to carry-on only travel, but don’t know where to start?  Click here to see how I can help!