Whenever any friend of ours drives north, they always stop at Battipaglia for mozzarella di bufala. If we're lucky, they'll give us some.
Wanting an excuse to get away and meet our American friends Patti and Tom, we decided to make the trip to what I now call Cheese Town!
Battipaglia: Where the Buffalo Roam
I don't actually know where the buffalo who make this delightful milk live, but it's got to be near Battipaglia, which is a 15-minute train ride from Salerno.
While regular mozzarella is yummy, mozzarella di bufala has a little something extra that makes it a flavor bomb in your mouth.
Go in any pizzeria or restaurant in Battipaglia, and you'll see it on the menu. Slathering a pizza...fried...fresh...I recommend it all!
We stopped at La Zizzona, which sells fresh mozzarella di bufala as well as bufala ricotta, scamorza, and salsiccia di bufala. We bought enough to take home and to share.
The woman working there told us that in the spring and summer, there's Zizzona Village, on the edge of town, where you can enjoy a nice meal with the brand's cheese.
A Memorable Meal
In search of a fantastic meal featuring our favorite cheese, we found ourselves at O' Vicolo è L'Alleria. We knew from the moment the owner came to the door wearing a handwritten menu of the day's specials that we'd come to the right place!
The restaurant was peppered with tables and decorated with a vintage television and buffets that made it feel a little like we were dining in the 1950s. We were seated at a communal table and ended up chatting with two brothers from Napoli.
We shared an appetizer of fresh fish (the sea isn't far away) and, of course, that mozzarella di bufala! I also hade the parmigiana di zucca. I'd never seen pumpkin in parmigiana form.
The entertaining owner was as good as the food, and I definitely recommend a visit.
On To Salerno
Patti and Tom hadn't seen the luminaries in Salerno, and since we'd gone last year, we gave them the tour of the cute Centro Storico, with its jellyfish and coral lights illuminating the narrow streets.
We met up with a friend, Maria, at my favorite teahouse, Alhambra, and chatted about what it was like to be an American expat in our respective countries.
A few more luminaries, then dinner, then back to the train station to return to Battipaglia. Only...there was an electrical issue on a train, resulting in a two-hour delay! Fortunately, we snagged an overpriced taxi and were back to our home away from home shortly.
Off-the-Beaten-Path Italy
Battipaglia isn't a tourist destination (unless you really, really love cheese like we do!). But that's one thing I love about living in Italy; I can explore the little towns that don't attract visitors because they still create plenty of fantastic memories for me.
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