For many years, until 2006, I worked as a cook/ chef in Hartford, Connecticut area restaurants. Many of the restaurants where I have worked are Italian restaurants. Through the years, I have prepared many dishes containing fresh mozzarella cheese. To this day, I very much enjoy eating fresh mozzarella and try to keep some on hand at home, at all times. The brand of fresh mozzarella cheese that I consistently purchase more than any other, is Sorrento (R) Fresh Mozzarella Cheese. Sorrento (R) Cheese, which is one of the largest cheese manufacturers in the United States, is well- known for producing many varieties of delicious, high- quality cheeses. The delicately- flavored fresh mozzarella cheese produced by Sorrento (R) is always soft, yet not mushy, like some other brands of fresh mozzarella and it always maintains its shape, whether it be in rounds, log or small ball form. Sorrento (R) Fresh Mozzarella Cheese also offers a nice clean taste, with just a hint of saltiness, as opposed to some other brands of this product, which are often quite salty.
Usually, I purchase the eight- ounce rounds of Sorrento (R) Fresh Mozzarella, although around the winter holiday times, when I am often doing more entertaining and preparing many types of appetizers, I sometimes purchase their 12 oz Fresh Mozzarella Log, or the eight- ounce tub of Ciliengini, or small balls. One of my favorite uses for Sorrento (R) Fresh Mozzarella Cheese is as part of a tomato, fresh basil and mozzarella salad, wherein I alternately layer slices of fresh tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, then sprinkle thin strands of cut fresh basil leaves and balsamic vinaigrette dressing over the salad. Sorrento (R) Fresh Mozzarella Cheese is also a wonderful addition to a variety of grilled panini sandwiches, as well as to a host regular sandwiches. Some thin slices of this product atop Italian sausage, grilled chicken breast or liverwurst sandwiches adds a real sense of culinary excitement. Sometimes, I utilize Sorrento (R) Fresh Mozzarella Cheese as a pizza topping, in place of regular dry mozzarella cheese.
The use of fresh mozzarella cheese on pizza adds a sense of juiciness and a different mouth- feel than that of dry mozzarella cheese. Sorrento (R) Fresh Mozzarella Cheese works well as an addition to various pasta dishes, as well as many types of pasta salads, rice dishes and even in soups. This light, slightly tangy tasting cheese is a great ingredient in an array of hors d’oeuvres and appetizers. Cut into cubes and speared on toothpicks with grapes or shrimp, wrapped in Italian prosciutto ham, or just cut into slices and served with crackers, Sorrento (R) Fresh Mozzarella Cheese always goes over well, no matter how I serve it. Another way that I enjoy utilizing this cheese product is in classic Bruschetta. I simply cut some thin slices of French or Italian bread, rub them with cooking oil, then broil or grill them, then top with diced tomatoes, diced onions, basil and fresh mozzarella. This classic Italian appetizer is always a hit at all types of occasions, especially when I prepare it using Sorrento (R) Fresh Mozzarella Cheese.
Nutritionally, Sorrento (R) Fresh Mozzarella rounds and logs contain 90 calories, with 50 calories from fat, per one- ounce serving. All of the Sorrento (R) Fresh Mozzarella products are competitively priced and are available in most major supermarkets and at other food retailers nationwide. All things considered, Sorrento (R) Fresh Mozzarella Cheese is a top- quality product that is highly recommended by this food writer.
