Mozzarella from Caserta: the story of a product of excellence
Where does Caserta mozzarella come from?
In the 11th century, a document preserved at the Abbey of San Lorenzo in Aversa, a few kilometres from Caserta, recounts that the Lombard princess Aloara gave the monks a “mozza” to be served with bread, as a gesture of hospitality towards passing pilgrims. It’s the first written record of what we now call mozzarella: the name comes from the verb “mozzare”, the action by which the cheesemaker still cuts off, by hand, one at a time, each individual piece from the hot stretched curd.
It was not until the Bourbon period of the 18th century that production became more than just a family business. At the Royal Estate of Carditello, just a few kilometres from Hotel Regina, the Bourbons reared buffalo on an industrial scale and established one of the first large-scale dairies in history, even regulating its production. From there, buffalo mozzarella began to find its way onto dining tables in Naples and Salerno.
Today, “Mozzarella di Bufala Campana” has held Protected Designation of Origin status since 12 June 1996, and the consortium responsible for safeguarding it is based right inside the Royal Palace of Caserta, in the Regie Cavallerizze: yet another link connecting the palace to the dining tables of those who visit it. Here’s a detail we always mention with a touch of pride: the mozzarella you taste in our restaurant isn’t just a local speciality; it’s a piece of the Royal Palace’s own history, which has come down to you intact after a thousand years.
There’s also something that few people notice, and which we enjoy helping our guests discover: mozzarella from Caserta has a more intense flavour and a more stringy texture than that from Battipaglia, which is more delicate. Two different traditions, both originating just a few kilometres apart. Ask us which ones to try, and where: that’s our speciality.
