Maple Burrata
- Producer
- Maplebrook Farm
- Country
- United States
- Region
- Vermont
- Size
- 8 oz, 4 oz or 2 oz
- Website
- www.maplebrookvt.com
- Milk
- Cow
- Treatment
- Pasteurised
- Classification
- Soft
- Rennet
- Vegetable
- Rind
- None
- Style
- Pasta Filata (mozzarella-type)
- Flavor
- Flavor added to paste
Maplebrook Farm was founded in 2003 after a chance encounter. Founder Johann Englert came across Al Ducci's Groceria in Manchester, Vermont during a visit, and when she tasted their mozzarella, it transported her back to her time in Italy during college. Johann immediately bought 20 pieces of the mozzarella since she knew she couldn’t get anything that good in Boston, where she lived. After returning home, she contacted the Al Ducci’s and spoke to the owner’s son, Mike Scheps, who happened to be the cheesemaker and asked him if he could supply her in Boston with the curd to make their own mozzarella. With an answer of yes, the agreement was in place and Maplebrook Farm was born.
Today Maplebrook Farm is headquartered in Bennington, Vermont, and it is a major producer of artisanal cheese on the east coast. The Farm sources its rBGH free milk from small family farms throughout Vermont to make their line of mostly Italian cheeses.
Maplebrook Farm’s Burrata is made using the traditional techniques of a stretched curd cheese, very similar to Mozzarella, pulled into a sheet. The sheet of cheese then has fresh cream and stracciatelli (shreds of Mozzarella curds) placed in the center. In this variety, the shreds and cream are mixed with 100% Grade A Vermont Maple Syrup. The sheet of stretched curd is then wrapped around the filling and pinched off at the top. The result is a ball of cheese that when cut, spills its creamy contents onto the plate.
Tasting Notes
One word: creamy. While the outside layer of mozzarella is firm and chewy, the inside melts on the tongue, and a pleasant, delicate semi-sweetness yields a hint of maple. It’s like vanilla ice cream, but better.
Pairings
This cheese would be perfect on top of hot buttermilk pancakes with salty pecans, or substituting ice cream in any a la mode dish.
