Mozzarella & its Cousins
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2021: October 29–November 2 (cancelled)
2022: February 11–15 | March 25–29 | October 28–November 1 Course availability 2022: Feb: full | Mar: 6 places | Oct: 6 places Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates. Professional development course designed and led by Maria Sarnataro, professional instructor about cheese and wine On this course you will learn how to make pasta filata cheeses: mozzarella and burrata. It takes place at two traditional dairies in the province of Salerno in Campania, renowned for its mozzarella di bufala. Also included are the small differences in production between buffalo milk and cow's milk mozzarella (fior di latte). Contrary to what you find on the internet, it's not easy to make good mozzarella and the procedure is a jealously guarded secret. At each of the dairies we visit you will have the rare opportunity to watch the experts and participate in hands-on sessions. At the end of the course, you will have the knowledge necessary to continue practising and perfecting your own cheese. Taught in English. Course suitable for cheesemakers, cheese vendors, dairy animal farmers, chefs and keen amateurs who want to make their own mozzarella. Maximum course size: 6 people. Course extension for cheese professionals: two nights watching the production run. Limited to 3 attendees. You may also be interested in our cheese course in Tuscany: http://www.sapori-e-saperi.com/theory--practice-of-italian-cheese.html Click on topics below for more information To request a booking form email info@sapori-e-saperi.com |
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Course at a glance Day 1 Arrival at Salerno train station no later than 14.00 / 2.00 pm (one transfer will be provided to Agriturismo La Petrosa, Ceraso). See details on Price & Stuff tab. Session 1: Introduction to course with Maria Sarnataro Welcome dinner at Le Tre Sorelle restaurant The owners are friends of Maria and will treat us like honoured guests. Day 2 Sessions 2 & 3: All morning at Tenuta Chirico at Ascea: visit buffalo and cows; in the dairy watch and assist staff from adding the whey starter to the filatura (spinning) and forming the mozzarella, a process that takes 4–5 hours. Tasting lunch at Tenuta Chirico Overview and guided tasting of wines of Campania with Maria Sarnataro, not only a cheese expert but a wine sommelier too Pizza for dinner Day 3 Session 4: Today you'll be doing all the phases of making mozzarella yourself under the guidance of their head cheesemaker. Learn the differences between making mozzarella with buffalo milk and cow's milk. Transfer to Aia Resort Cilento, Trentinara Dinner at Porta Sirena You've tasted the buffalo mozzarella; here you can taste buffalo meat, as well as handmade pasta and vegetables from the restaurant garden Day 4 Sessions 5 & 6: Visit to organic Caseificio Le Querce: early start to watch everything from milking buffalo to the filatura (spinning) and forming of mozzarella, plus ricotta and buratta Tasting lunch at Le Querce Afternoon optional activity: tasting tour to three top mozzarella producers Dinner at private home: an abundance of southern hospitality and home-cooked food Day 5 Breakfast Hands-on making mozzarella at Le Querce Session 7: Preparing the curd and making ricotta Session 8: Filatura (spinning the curd and forming the cheese) Tasting lunch at Le Querce Departure: transfer to train station at Salerno Course extension Stay at Le Querce for two nights to watch their production. Useful for professional cheesemakers to learn how to organise the dairy and work schedule. Extend your stay For those who want to come early or stay on, other artisan food and sightseeing activities can be arranged in the Salerno-Amalfi Coast area. For more details, please click Course tab above To request a booking form email info@sapori-e-saperi.com |
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Salerno to Ceraso (Parco del Cilento) Day 1 Meet at Salerno train station. Transfer provided to agriturismo at Ceraso (1 hr). One pick-up only no later than 14.00 / 2.00 pm). Session 1: Introduction to course with Maria Sarnataro
Dinner at seafood restaurant Le Tre Sorelle Perched on a terrace overlooking the sea, you couldn't have a better view from which to enjoy the excellent cooking of Maria's friend Francesca. (Meat and vegetarian options available) Day 2 Transfer to Tenuta Chirico, farm and dairy. Session 2: Visit buffalo and cows where you can ask anything you'd like to know about reproduction, calving, feeding and milking. Breakfast at the dairy Session 3: A whole morning dedicated to you in which you will assist the dairy staff in all the phases of making mozzarella and ricotta (always a by-product of making cheese in Italy) Tasting lunch at the dairy Overview and guided tasting of wines of Campania with Maria Sarnataro, not only a cheese expert but a wine sommelier too Pizza at Villa Marchesa, Casal Velino Your chance to try ammaccata, the traditional pizza of the Cilento Day 3 Transfer to Tenuta Chirico dairy Breakfast at dairy Session 4: Do-it-yourself
Tasting lunch at the dairy Ceraso to Trentinara Transfer to Aia Resort Cilento, Trentinara Dinner at Porta Sirena, Paestum You've tasted lots of buffalo mozzarella; here you can taste buffalo meat, as well as handmade pasta and vegetables from the restaurant garden Accommodation: Aia Resort Cilento, Trentinara | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 4 Transfer to Caseificio Prime Querce, organic farm and dairy Session 5: The buffalo and their milk
Breakfast Session 6: Preparing the curd and making ricotta
Tasting lunch at Prime Querce Session 7: Filatura (spinning the curd and forming the cheese)
Afternoon optional activity: tasting tour to three top mozzarella producers Transfer to Aia Resort Cilento Dinner at private home cooked by Lila with contributions from her son Antonio La Mura and his friends Accommodation: Aia Resort Cilento, Trentinara | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 5 Breakfast and transfer to Caseificio Prime Querce Session 7: Do-it-yourself Repeat the production procedure, but this time you do it yourself under the guidance of Prime Querce staff. It can take three years to perfect your mozzarella technique. Will you learn faster? Session 8: Preparation of siero innesto and liquido di governo Tasting lunch at Prime Querce Departure: one transfer to train station at Salerno Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Course extension Stay at Prime Querce for two nights to watch their production run and find out what equipment you need, how to set up the dairy and organise your production (maximum 3 people). To request a booking form email info@sapori-e-saperi.com |
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Course Leader
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Maria Sarnataro Maria Sarnataro’s multiplicity of interests have led her along an eclectic career path from agricultural science to a doctorate in environmental and territorial research. Recently she has dedicated herself to teaching in the fields of wine, cheese and oil. As a sommelier with the Italian Association of Sommelier (AIS) she lectures on viticulture, sparkling wines, dessert wines and pairing cheese and wine. As Master Taster with the National Organisation of Cheese Tasters (ONAF), she lectures on the technique of tasting cheese and the pairing and conservation of cheese. She is currently ONAF delegate from Salerno, national vice-president of ONAF and a member of the national technical commission. In the field of wine she is the vice-president of AIS for Campania and the AIS delegate for the National Park of Cilento and Vallo di Diano, where she organises AIS courses. |
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Course Instructors
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Caseificio Prime Querce, Capaccio (Salerno) When Alberto Torre took over the business from his parents it was a buffalo farm which sold milk to other cheesemakers. It was Alberto's dream to start making cheese himself with his excellent organic milk. Alberto has succeeded and now produces mozzarella, scamorza fresh and smoked, caciocavallo matured and smoked, burrata, other cheeses, ricotta and yoghurt which he sells to shops, restaurants and end consumers. Besides producing high quality cheese, he wants to educate the public. Knowledgeable consumers make good customers for small traditional cheesemakers. His didactic farm is open to schools, and to us. |
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Tenuta Chirico, Alscea (Salerno) In the early 1970s Benedetto Chirico started rearing milk cows. In the early ‘90s he decided to add water buffalo and goats to the farm, and to add value to his efforts, took on a small dairy to make cheese. Today he and his daughters Silvia and Maria and son Giovanni run the farm and dairy on the principles of sustainable agriculture and a circular economy. They have added yoghurt and gelato made from buffalo milk to their product line. |
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Course Organiser
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Erica Jarman Following Heather’s careers as archaeologist, orchestra and artist manager and chef, she Italianised her name to Erica and came to Lucca to pursue her passion for traditional artisan food. Her tours, inspired by her infectious curiosity, open captivating new worlds to her guests. |
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Aia Resort Cilento, Trentinara Owner Vincenzo Quaglia has applied his architectural training to restoring a crumbling farmhouse, bringing to life a past when peasants knew how to reconcile form, function and beauty. Comfortable double bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. Wifi in rooms. Swimming pool. http://www.aiaresort.it/ |
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Agriturismo La Petrosa, Ceraso La Petrosa is the working farm of the Soffritti family. Depending on how numerous we are, we stay either in the castle dating from the 800s or the old farmhouse, both modernised to provide double bedrooms with bath. The farm produces cheese from the milk of their cows and goats. They cultivate ancient grains, fruit and vegetables. http://www.lapetrosa.it/ |
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Price Per person: 1550 Euros Non-participant in same room: 550 Euros Course extension price depends on number of people (per person): 3 people 770 Euros | 2 people 850 Euros | 1 person 1250 Euros Deposit: €200 when you book Balance: due 8 weeks before course starts Includes 4 nights welcoming, relaxing accommodation, single or double room with en suite bathroom Local ground transportation for 5 days (+ two days of extension) Daily continental breakfast, 4 lunches, 4 dinners (lunch & dinner not included in extension price) Course lectures and sessions with cheesemakers, course notes Non-participant fee includes accommodation in same room as a participant, daily continental breakfast, 4 dinners, local ground transportation with group Does not include Airfares Travel and cancellation insurance Wine and drinks other than those served with meals, additional meals Personal expenses such as telephone, mini-bar, etc. Meeting points I recommend you arrive in Italy the day before the course starts to allow time for travel delays and to recover from jet lag. Where: Salerno train station When: no later than 14.00 (2.00 pm) If everyone arrives earlier, we'll pick you up as soon as everyone is there. Recommended international travel: Nearest airport: Naples Capodichino (only 4 km from Naples Centrale train station with frequent shuttle service between the two); 1/2 hour train ride to Salerno Next nearest airport: Rome Fiumicino (train connection to Rome Termini station and change for train to Salerno); 2 hr train ride to Salerno. This is the route I recommend. Nearest train station: Salerno Departure points Where: Salerno train station When: arrival at station at 15.30 (3.30 pm) If you have to leave significantly earlier, I can arrange a special transfer at your own expense. NB If you leave early you will miss the last part of the course. Dress Informal. Jeans are acceptable everywhere. Protective clothing will be provided when necessary. Weather Please refer to this website https://www.ilmeteo.it/meteo/Trentinara and https://www.ilmeteo.it/meteo/Alvignano Itinerary is subject to change if necessary due to weather or agricultural conditions or other events outside our control. To request a booking form email info@sapori-e-saperi.com |
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The “Mozzarella & its Cousins” course by Sapori & Saperi provides cheesemakers — both hobbyists and professionals — with invaluable insight into the production of various pasta filata cheeses, including the coveted mozzarella di bufala. Erica and Maria’s relationships in Caserta and Salerno afford participants unrivaled access to some of the regions’ finest cheesemakers, who willingly share all of the technical and other details needed to produce mozzarella and related cheeses. This isn’t your typical Italian “tour” where you’ll watch professionals spin mozzarella through glass for a few minutes and then be shuttled off to a tourist attraction; you’re going to spend several hours a day getting wet in the cheese room, learning all of the hyper-technical details and sticking your hands in hot water to learn from professional Italian cheesemakers (who are running production for two fully-operational caseifici) how to properly produce mozzarella. If you’re searching for an insider look at the heavily-guarded secrets of mozzarella production, and want to learn alongside two great instructors who can educate you on both cheese and southern Italian culture, this course is for you.
Phil Giglio, mozzarella creamery owner, USA, Mozzarella & its Cousins, July 2019
Mozzarella & its cousins is a thorough, insightful and hands-on course for cheesemakers, chefs and anyone who wants to make cheese professionally. The pasta filata category of cheeses is not easy to teach in a short span of time, but Erica has planned this course with a lot of attention to detail with other industry experts and artisans. The artisanal cheesemakers (trainers) at the dairies were very forthcoming with their explanations and didn't hold back information. I learnt a great deal and all this knowledge will definitely help in bettering my product.
Mausam Narang, mozzarella dairy owner, India, Mozzarella & its Cousins, July 2019
Every other mozzarella course you find is a three-hour stretch-the-curd course. But you need to know how to get the curd to the right point to be stretched. This course is fantastic because you’ve got the high quality professionals who can teach all the steps correctly according to tradition. I definitely recommend this course for anyone who is serious about learning how to make real, traditional, fresh mozzarella.
David DiLoreto, buffalo farmer & cheesemaker, USA, Mozzarella & its Cousins, November 2018
As a professional cheesemaker, I've made a lot of cheese including mozzarella. I take courses to understand why we do certain processes and why things sometimes go wrong day after day and we can’t figure it out without help from experts. This course gave me exactly this kind of know-how.
Karin Karlsson, Cheesemaker, USA, Mozzarella & its Cousins, November 2018
I spent a lot of time trying hard to find out how to make mozzarella the proper way. I exhausted all the books and videos and practised by myself. It’s really difficult getting experts to share their skills, and that’s something you’ve done really well. There was nothing held back. I was able to ask all the questions I wanted to. The course was exactly what I needed to practise more effectively myself.
Elliott Bloomfield, chef, UK, Mozzarella & its Cousins, November 2018
We got a lot of good information. Now we know we were doing everything wrong! No wonder our mozzarella wasn’t working. It was helpful to do both buffalo and cow milk because we can practice with cow milk until our buffalo start producing babies again. Between taking notes and making videos we’ll have enough to do better in the future.
Faythe DiLoreto, buffalo farmer & cheesemaker, USA, Mozzarella & its Cousins, November 2018
I have recently spent five days in Campania, learning about Mozzarella on a Sapori e Saperi course. I make cheese at home, just for my family, but the course was designed to be as useful for home cheesemakers as people who aspire to make Mozzarella on a more commercial scale. I now feel absolutely confident that I can make, and store, delicious mozzarella. We also had lessons on pizza and pasta making, went foraging for greens and made soup and ate at several really interesting homes and restaurants. I thoroughly recommend this course. It was great fun!
Honey Andersen, home cheesemaker, New Zealand, Mozzarella & Its Cousins, March 2019
I found it valuable seeing two different dairies, the first two days being walked through the process and the second seeing the actual production in real time. I also liked the extra activities like eating at a private home to get to know the people of the village and the culture of the area.
Chelsea Wheeler, aspiring mozzarella maker, Nigeria, Mozzarella & its Cousins, November 2018
From Thursday to Sunday: we will be near Paestum (southeast of Naples and Salerno).
From Sunday to Wednesday: we will be near Telese Terme (north of Naples and Caserta).
From Sunday to Wednesday: we will be near Telese Terme (north of Naples and Caserta).
