Favorites: Gioia Burrata

There are few things that taste as luxurious as burrata. What is burrata? A fresh Italian cheese in the mozzarella family. It looks like a lump of fresh mozzarella, but when you slice it open, out comes a primordial ooze of filling, a dreamy mixture of mozzarella curd and cream.



When you eat burrata, you get the guilty, pleasure-inducing essence of cream.

I've tried burrata in a salad with heirloom tomatoes and basil, on sandwiches and drizzled with good balsamic vinegar. All of my burrata experimentation however, has led me to a realization. The best accompaniment to burrata is a knife and fork, maybe sprinkled with a few flakes of sea salt. I don't like anything to get in the way of the pure creamy experience.

My favorite burrata and the one which is most available locally is from Gioia in South El Monte, which you can get at Bay Cities Deli, Bristol Farms and other gourmet stores. You should eat it within three or four days of purchase.