Fresh Mozzarella Safe?

[lpellegr]

Has anyone had success or problems eating fresh mozzarella? Those lovely soft white balls of cheese in (usually murky) water that you find in the deli or salad bar. I used to love fresh mozzarella, but since these don't come with labels, I don't know whether they use vinegar to coagulate them and haven't dared to try since I went gluten-free. Let's set aside the question of whether they ever change the murky water to keep it fresh. It's tomato season in New Jersey and I would love a plate full of fresh mozzarella, sliced ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and olive oil and wine vinegar. I have made do with Sargento or Kraft mozzarella, but it's not the same as the fresh. Frigo appears to be another brand that doesn't have vinegar in its mozzarella, but it's hard to find. Kraft is easy, but their cheeses all taste the same.

[lovegrov]

Never found a fresh mozzarella with gluten. Vinegar is not a problem unless it's malt vinegar, which is unlikely in cheese.

richard

[debmidge]

Ipellegr, Where in NJ are you? We're in Union.

[lpellegr]

Ipellegr,  Where in NJ are you?  We're in Union.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lpellegr for Lee Pellegrino, actually. I'm in the Trenton area. I'm getting a share of produce from a CSA organic farm, so lots of ripe tomatoes. They (the tomatoes) are asking me to make bruschetta, tomato pie, and fresh mozzarella salad, but I have to do some gluten-free baking first to get the french bread and pizza crust. Love fresh mozzarella. Trenton Farmer's Market has a great Italian store (I drool looking at the fresh mozzarella) and also has a store with a good supply of gluten-free stuff, since the owner's wife has celiac. He has a freezer full of bread, donuts, etc, some of which are hand made and shipped in from all over the place. Has a few shelves full of flours and mixes (brownies, cookies, etc) and some pastas and crackers but I find it ridiculously expensive. Since I can do my own baking, I don't buy there except once in a while - gluten-free felafel mix was a nice find and some crackers that were just like saltines. But many $$$$$. If you're ever in the Trenton area give the farmer's market a look at 960 Spruce Street. Also the Whole Foods on route 1 near Princeton has a freezer full of gluten-free baked goods - breads, pies, cakes, etc. They look good, but again I can't bring myself to pay those prices. But overall the store has a nice supply of gluten-free foods - especially good for cereals and snacks.

Also, Richard/lovegrov, undistilled vinegar is something we're supposed to avoid. White vinegar that is not distilled can have enough contaminating gluten to mess you up. If it's not distilled, the label will just say "vinegar" and I avoid that. Most blocks of mozzarella in the store have "vinegar" on the label, since that's what they use to curdle the milk. Undistilled is cheaper than distilled so that's why they use it. I don't know what the fresh mozzarella is curdled with, that's why I'm asking.

[lovegrov]

"Vinegar" in the U.S. is the same as distilled vinegar. Malt vinegar is the only vinegar to avoid. I've yet to see a white vinegar that isn't distilled. Do you know of any?

richard

[lpellegr]

"Vinegar" in the U.S. is the same as distilled vinegar. Malt vinegar is the only vinegar to avoid. I've yet to see a white vinegar that isn't distilled. Do you know of any?

richard

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If that's the case it would make my life easier. I try to keep up with the latest dos and don'ts but I hadn't heard this one as a definite. They don't sell undistilled white vinegar to consumers, but you never know with manufacturer's raw ingredients. There are a lot of things in ingredient lists that I can't buy at my local store. But then again, who knew you could buy xanthan gum? Thanks for the feedback.

[lovegrov]

IMO, this concern about "undistilled" vinegar somehow making it into food is unnecessary. Vinegar is not actually distilled anyway, it's the alcohol used to make vinegar that's distilled. I just read one article that estimated that EVEN IF (a very, very, very big if) this alcohol were made from a wheat component (very unlikely) and even if every single bit of the protein that does us damage were to survive into the vinegar, it's so diluted that the average person would have to drink 100 liters a day to get as much gluten as the amount allowed at the lower end of the European codex standards. I'm sure 100 liters would make you sick, but not from gluten.

Malted vinegar and possibly "flavored" vinegar are the only ones we have to worry about. And the majority of the flavored ones will be all right.

richard