The Making of an Iconic Cheese: Mozzarella Di Bufala Campana D.O.P:

Mozzarella di bufala has been rightly described as the White Whale of American cheesemaking. The attempt to make this cheese in the US has been mostly unsuccessful so far. Yet, this fantastic cheese is regularly consumed on the tables of thousands of Italians each day. This essay will show how the production of mozzarella di bufala campana D.o.p. in Italy is regulated by a thick set of laws and regulations, which contributed to the emerging of this cheese as an iconic food, deservedly considered as one of the miracles of Italian cuisine. These rules arise from the coordinated efforts of a group of producers who managed to overcome some of the constraints associated with the small-scale dimensions of their farms and were thus able to develop a viable strategy for a niche product that would eventually pay off. The paper examines, as well, some of the tensions and problems associated with these developments