On these days of longer light, warmer weather, and beautifully ripe heirloom and beefsteak tomatoes, a classic yet simple salad of sliced mozzarella and tomatoes, drizzled with a little olive oil, can make dining al fresco seem civilized. Open a good red wine, tear off a crispy crust of some fresh French bread, and you’ll feel like you’re in the Italian countryside.

And we only have to reach across the Bay to Berkeley’s Belfiore Cheese Company for the fresh, all natural, soft and creamy pre-sliced mozzarella, packed in water, ready to go. Nothing could be simpler! Since 1987, Belfiore has been making awarding-winning, kosher-certified mozzarella, feta and ricotta. We also carry their cold-smoked mozzarella, where rich alder, apple and cherry wood adds a zesty bite. Fresh or smoked, mozzarella adds something new to your salads, pizzas and sandwiches.

If you want to get a little more hands on in your cooking, brand new for us are Mozzarella Cheese Curds in a 12 oz package , which are just waiting to be turned into fresh mozzarella. Channel your inner Martha Stewart and use the curds to make your own fresh mozzarella worthy of planning a whole television special about.

Here’s a recipe we tried a few years back:

To make your Fresh Mozarella , you’ll need:

3 large bowls, one filled with ice cold salted water A candy thermometer A 2-quart pot Salt A large wooden spoon A package of Mozzarella Cheese Curds

Cut the curds into one-inch cubes, and put them in your first clean bowl.

Fill your pot with water and add about two tablespoon of salt. The amount of salt will depend on your taste. Two tablespoons should be enough, but add a bit more or less, depending on your preference. Heat the water to between 170 and 180 degrees. It should take two to three minutes for the water to reach a temperature just under boiling.

Pour the hot salted water over the curds and let them sit about a minute. Then, with the large spoon, gently stir until they start clumping together into one large mass. This should take a couple of minutes.

Lift the mass gently out of the water (use rubber gloves, because both the water and the curds are hot!) and put it into a second clean bowl.

Still with the rubber gloves on, slowly and gently begin to knead and stretch the curds by folding one side into the other. Work the curds until the texture is smooth, with a shiny sheen -- this should take one or two minutes at the most. Don’t be afraid to have fun stretching the curd, but try not to overwork, or the cheese will become rubbery.

Once you have a smooth texture, shape it into your classic ball or log shape and drop it into the lightly salted ice water (about a teaspoon of salt should be enough, but adjust according to your preference).

The cheese is ready to eat as soon as it is completely cool, or you can store in the refrigerator, either in the salted water or wrapped in plastic wrap for several days.

You can add variety by stuffing cherry tomatoes into the center of mozzarella balls before you add them to the cold bath, or you can form the cheese into thin ropes, and braid with thinly slice prosciutto and basil.

It may take a few tries to get the right texture, but once you master it, you may never eat packaged mozzarella again.

A little Cheddar on the Side

Utah has given us Donnie & Marie, the Sundance Film Festival, and now the Beehive Cheese Company from Uintah, Utah, brings us another original and slightly wacky cheese from brothers-in-law Tim Welsh and Pat Ford. The guys who gave us Barley Buzzed -- a cheese hand rubbed with a Turkish grind of a Beehive Blend coffee and French Superior lavender buds -- have now brought forth SeaHive, an aged cheddar-like cheese lightly coated with wildflower honey and “RealSalt” gathered from an ancient sea bed near Redmond, Utah.

On the mild side but very flavorful, with a soft texture and sweet smell, SeaHive from Beehive is another great addition to the cheeseboards, and quite a conversation starter as well.

Thanks for reading.

Octavio Saez de Ibarra,
The Cheese Department