All mozzarella cheese is not created equal. In fact, two kinds of mozzarella cheese appear in U.S. markets: fresh mozzarella and shrink-wrapped mozz. Both are delicious, but they're not interchangeable. Most Americans are familiar with the shrink-wrapped variety, which is sold in one-pound blocks, labeled either “whole milk” or “part skim.” This processed cheese is sometimes sold preshredded in bags, and has become a pillar of Italian-American cuisine. The other type, called “fresh” or “kneaded” mozzarella, has a milkier, less salty flavor; a whiter color; and a softer, springier texture.

Fresh mozzarella is milder in flavor, making it perfect for salads, pastas, and other sauced and dressed dishes. It is essential to the southern Italian tomato, basil, and cheese salad known as Caprese, drizzled with very fine olive oil and cracked black pepper. Unlike packaged mozzarella, it does not become very stringy when cooked, but keeps a satisfying resilience to its bite. It is kept submerged in the milky water in which it was made, or wrapped in plastic film just before sale. Smoked, it acquires an even “meatier” texture and adds complexity to dishes. Smoked fresh mozzarella is increasingly available in cheese sections of supermarkets. In Italy, there is another mozzarella that is almost worshipped:

Mozzarella di Bufala comes from the countryside surrounding Naples in southern Italy, and possesses a fresh, tangy, milky flavor. Unlike other fresh mozzarellas made from cow's milk, this regional delight is made from the milk of water buffalo. Retreating Nazis destroyed the buffalo herd that had lived in the region since the second century A.D., but the resourceful Italians imported new buffalo from India after the war. If you see this cheese, buy it. It is shipped daily from Rome, packed in eight-ounce kneaded balls suspended in their own whey. It's a perfect cheese for a Caprese salad, or simply to slice and serve all by itself.