Originally from southern Italy, mozzarella made from the nutrient-rich milk of water buffalo has been made in New Zealand for about five years by the Clevedon Valley Buffalo Company near Auckland. Finally production has grown large enough to supply the rest of the country.
Helen and Richard Dorresteyn set up their buffalo farm in 2006 and have increased their herd of riverine water buffalo, originally from Italy, to 160, of which 14 are being milked at present.
Buffalo milk is constructed differently from cow's milk and people who can tolerate goat's and sheep's milk can also tolerate buffalo milk, according to Helen Dorresteyn.
It had twice the solids of cow's milk, a-third to a-half more protein and calcium, less than half the cholesterol but was 8% higher in fat than cow's milk, she said.
Besides the delicious, fresh mozzarella and ricotta, both of which have won gold medals in the New Zealand cheese awards, Clevedon Valley also makes yoghurt which is naturally thick and creamy because of the increased milk solids. It comes in plain and four flavours: lemon-flavoured with the zest of villa franca lemons grown nearby; vanilla with Heilala vanilla from Tonga; cinnamon; and passionfruit.
Mrs Dorresteyn said some meat products such as salami, pepperoni sticks and biltong were launched late last year and would eventually find their way south, too.
