Wednesday, March 14, 2012

eat: burrata cheese

The first time I tried burrata cheese was in a delicious Lobster Heirloom Tomato Salad at Bar Crudo in San Francisco four years ago. My mouth waters just thinking about it. Granted, I’ve never met a cheese I didn’t like, but that burrata was on another level of deliciousness. It was truly one of the most amazing taste sensations I've ever encountered.

Sadly, I haven’t had burrata since that memorable time in San Fran… until last week, that is! I was flipping through a Sobeys flyer (a local supermarket) and squealed out loud when I saw they were selling burrata cheese. Off to the market, I went!

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For those of you not familiar with burrata (pronounced boo-RAH-ta)  – it’s an ultra-creamy fresh mozzarella that originates from southern Italy. It has a silky texture on the outside and is soft, gooey and delicious on the inside (the center contains mozzarella shreds soaked in cream) - when you cut into the burrata, the cream oozes out irresistibly. Burrata comes from the word “burro” which means butter in Italian, referring to the cheese's buttery taste and texture. It’s available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores, Italian markets, and cheese shops. It’s highly perishable and once cut, it should be eaten immediately (trust me; you won’t have any problems with that task).

Although it has Italian origins, the burrata I purchased came from BelGioioso Cheese in Denmark, Wisconsin and is a serious award winner - placing 2nd in the 2011 World Cheese Awards. Nicely done, Wisconsin!

burrata two

When it comes to serving burrata, simple is best. Try it at room temperature atop fresh bread (toasted ciabatta is a good choice), sprinkled with kosher salt, freshly cracked pepper and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. For a fancier version, serve the burrata with heirloom tomatoes, prosciutto (preferably San Danielle) and fresh basil.  Mouth watering, yet?

If you're lucky enough to come across burrata, please try it! It’s a tad pricey, but it’s an extravagance worth every penny. This is a food experience you're not likely to ever forget. I’m already planning my next burrata shopping exurcusion to my local Italian Centre Shop to try out their version.

Read more about burrata, here, here and here.

Happy Wednesday, friends! Hope you’re having a fantastic week!

Dajana

Pictures via.

14 comments:

  1. Mmmmmmm - that looks and sounds amazing. I must give it a try!

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  2. We are one very cheesy family here. I've never heard of burrata, but it looks AMAZING and sounds even better! I will be keeping my eye out at the supermarket!

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    1. The "we are one very cheesy family" made me laugh, Belle. You're funny. lady! Let me know if you do end up finding burrata. You're going to love it! (:

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  3. i love it... so creamy on the inside with a drizzle of olive oil... yum!!!

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    1. Yay - another burrata lover! I drizzled it with olive oil I bought when I was back visiting the mother country (Croatia). So flippin' good!

      p.s. Thanks so much for visiting, Elie. I'm following your blog now!(:

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  4. Cannot believe Sobsy's sells barrata! It is from the Puglia region in Italy, and when Vanja and I were in Italy last fall - though we didn't get to Puglia, there was imported Barrata from there at a very special store in Rome and I was in heaven - just like you. There is nothing - nothing - nothing - like it. Lush deliciousness. I am sure the Sobey's version is tasty - but the artisan barrata is a must for any food lover and it just cannot keep for more than a few days which is part of it's glory. Thanks for this trip down memory road, Dajana!
    XO
    V

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    1. You're welcome, Valerie. I can't even imagine how amazing burrata would taste in its country of origin. Nommy! (:

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  5. I'm intrigued! That sounds delicious.

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    1. It's heavenly!

      p.s. Thank you for popping by and commenting. (:

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  6. my kind of Saturday afternoon lunch! thanks for visiting my blog!

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  7. Looks/sounds so good. I'm now hungry:)

    I need to attempt to make it.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Rochelle xx

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    1. You're most welcome, Rochelle. I enjoy sharing my love of food!

      There's a post on Sunday Suppers on how to make homemade burrata: http://sunday-suppers.com/?p=3024

      p.s. Thanks so much for visiting! (:

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