Cheese to the power of four

Where should we go for dinner tonight?? It's a tough question at the best of times let alone when we're in Rome for the first time. But choices were made a little easier with the discovery of Obika, a mozzarella bar. How could we not go? We find the place easily enough and are quickly given a seat, drinks and bread in that order. I get the classic negroni (still kicking ourselves for not going to it's spiritual home in Florence when we were there) and Kat a Garibaldi; campari and blood orange, both excellent.



The bread arrived in a too cute little wicker basket with oil vinegar and salt in a similar basket.



Now what we were here for....the cheese. They had four different types of DOP mozzarella on the menu Paestum (delicate),Pontina (stronger), Affumicata (smoked and very strong) and Stracciatella di Burrata (sweet and creamy , then there was a dozen different accompaniments you could have with each cheese. Knowing we couldn't leave one behind we ordered one of each debating fo a long time over which accompaniment to have with which cheese. There was just so much deliciousness. in the end this was our mix and match combo;
With the paestum we got a light basil pesto, fresh cherry tomatos and spinach.
The flavor of the cheese was light,sweet and creamy, tearing easily into fat pieces.



The Pontina we matched up with Anchovies from Cetara, near Amalfi and sundried Tomatoes the stronger flavored cheese going well with the salty anchovies and intense tomatoes.



The smoked mozzarella was a lot firmer in texture with it's the smoke was not as overpowering as we thought it might have been and it went well with the eggplant and tomato caponata we had chosen.



The last cheese to arrive was for me the best of four amazing cheese the burrata. Burrata is made from mozzarella and cream. The outer shell is solid mozzarella while the inside contains both mozzarella and cream, giving it an unusual, soft texture. The name "burrata" means "buttered" in Italian. So soft it arrived in aglass bowl already floating in it's own juices when we picked at it with our fork it seperated into unctious strands so rich and creamy.
With the peppery rocket and beef carpaccio it was an amazing experience.







Sitting outside on the Roman cobblestone in the mild autumn evening it was just spectacular.

Now off to find a vintage sweet to finish off with.

OBIKA' ROMA PREFETTI
Piazza di Firenze - corner Via dei Prefetti
00186 - Roma

Tel.: +39 06 6832630
Email: roma@obika.it

Open everyday from 10 am till midnight.
From 7.30 pm Aperitivo Obikà with little mozzarella "bocconcini" and tastings

Revelation

With nothing planned one afternoon we took the ten minute drive back to Panzano (which seemed to have an inordinate amount of deliciousness for a village with all of four streets). We had spotted a small enoteca that was packed the night we went to Dario's so we felt a visit was in order. On such a nice day the restaurant had set up tables in the little square across the road, we took a look inside but opted for across the road, it was the best place to take a sit and watch Italian life lazily drift by. Two glasses of wine, a quick squizz of the menu and we were set.



A vitello tonnato had caught our eye (just sooo Italian) and soon arrived carried across the road by mamma. Thin slices of veal slathered with a rich tuna mayonnaise and dotted with a few fat juicy capers.





Next a tagliatelle with ragu, thick ribbons of pasta tossed with papas family recipe ragu and topped off with a touch of Parmesan. Real feel good food.



Then it happened, golden rays of sunshine broke though the clouds and small cherubs filttered and danced as angels heralded with trumpets the arrival of the mozzarella en carozza (mozzerella in a carriage), the plate was placed in front of us and we smiled, we took one bite and "WHAT THE HELL????" how had we not know about this amazing dish before it was incredible,
two slices of bread lightly dipped in egg and grated parmesan sandwiching fresh buffalo mozzarella, fried and sprinkled with a little more parmesan. Heaven. Gooey cheesy tasty tasty heaven.



As we sat back oh so content and sipped our wine in the warm afternoon Tuscan sun, we spotted Dario walking down the street, who in turn spotted us and recognising us from earlier that week shouted out a hearty greeting.



Have I said how much Italian life was getting under our skin yet??

Enoteca Baldi
Panzano square
Panzano.