Good Taste
Cheese of the Month: Caputo Bros. Ricotta It's now common for chefs to make their own ricotta by simply heating milk, adding citrus, and straining the curds. Technically, though, those cheeses should be called "cotta" (Italian for "cooked&q
Cheese of the Month: Caputo Bros. Ricotta
It's now common for chefs to make their own ricotta by simply heating milk, adding citrus, and straining the curds. Technically, though, those cheeses should be called "cotta" (Italian for "cooked") since authentic ricotta (which means "recooked") implies another important step. The rarely seen real deal - cooked from the already separated whey of culture-fermented mozzarella curds instead of milk - is now available from Caputo Brothers Creamery, started in Spring Grove, Pa. (halfway between Lancaster and Gettysburg) three years ago by pharma corporate dropouts Rynn and David Caputo. And the difference is distinctive, both in the silky texture of the cheese and a stunning natural sweetness, thanks to that fermentation, that lingers on the tongue long after the cheese is eaten. The shelf-life is much shorter, but it's so good - seasoned with olive oil and herbs, or topped with honey and fruit for morning toast - that it won't last long anyway.
- Craig LaBan
Caputo Brothers Creamery ricotta, $8.99 for a 1-1.25 lb. basket, Fair Food Farmstand, Reading Terminal Market, 215-386-5211 x120.