RACKERBY — This may be a remote corner of Butte County, but it’s one of the epicenters of the fast-growing specialty food industry.
About a year from now, Hanns Heick’s 50 acre-farm will become one of the country’s first commercial dairies that produce mozzarella cheese from water buffalo milk.
Some of the water buffalo are already here. At one end of the property are two ponds where they can go for a swim. As their name suggests, they like to be close to water.
At the other end of the farm, a cheese-making plant is taking shape within the walls of a building that once processed cows’ milk.
Heick points out that cheese is becoming as much of a gourmet item as wine, coffee, olives and bread. And it’s all happening here. “California is going to become the culinary center of the world.”
He said specialty cheese is the only part of the dairy industry that’s growing. He wants to grow with it. “We have a herd of 250 water buffalo and make about 500 pounds of cheese a day.” Over time, he’d like to double the size of the herd and the rate of cheese production.
Right now, his cheese, which is called mozzarella di bufala, is produced in Gardena and his herd’s milking cows are in Chino Hills, both in Southern California. He took over the business, called Bubalus Bubalis, Inc., in 2002. Two years ago, he and his wife Grazia Perrella bought this farm with the intention of moving the entire operation here and putting an end to their long commute. They have lived in Dobbins since 1985, but after buying the business they’ve had to spend most of their time in Southern California. They are home no more than one weekend every two weeks.
Heick said Bubalus Bubalis is the scientific name for the river or swamp species of water buffalo. He said they have been used for thousands of years in Asia as beasts of burden. “Somehow, they got to Italy about 1,000 years ago. That’s when their milk started being used for cheese.”
Today, most of the mozzarella cheese made from water buffalo milk still comes from Italy. But because it has to be eaten fresh, the cost of transporting it to this country makes it expensive. By making the cheese here, Heick can offer the same product at a lower price and get it to customers faster.
“In Italy, people buy it and eat it the same day, Heick said. “Our product has a 30-day shelf life, but the fresher you get it, the better it is.” He said mozzarella cheese made from water buffalo milk is so flavorful that “it’s a meal in itself. You can just slice it and add olive oil.” In this country, it’s most often used in salads. But he said it also tastes good melted on toast or as a pizza topping.
To Americans, water buffalo may seem like exotic animals, but except for their horns they look a lot like cows. It’s their behavior that’s noticeably different. “They are actually very interesting animals,” Heick said. “Cows don’t really recognize people. Water buffalo have a curiosity about us. They look at you and follow you around. The individual animals get to know you.” They are strong animals and adults can weigh as much as 2,000 pounds, but Heick said they “extremely easy to handle.”
Although water buffalo like to be in the water and prefer to forage for food in rivers, ponds and swamps, they are also comfortable on dry land. Heick’s water buffalos feed on stacks of rice straw that are scattered throughout his farm’s fields. The farm is home to the herd’s calves and the cows that can’t be milked. “They go dry a couple of months before giving birth,” Heick said. He said each cow has a calf about every 18 months. When the cheese-making plant is finished, the milking cows will be moved up here as well.
He said three bulls are kept for breeding; the rest are sold for meat. Heick said water buffalo meat is starting to become popular in this country, but he doesn’t plan to get into that end of the business.
Bubalus Bubalis makes fresh and dry mozzarella as well as a ricotta version of its cheese. No flavors are added to the cheese. “We are purists. We like the fresh milky flavor. Kids love its healthy, clean taste.”
The cheese is sold at three locations in Butte County: Zucchini & Vine and Creekside Cellars Wine & Cheese Co. in Chico and the Wagon Wheel Market in Oroville. He said after the company’s operations have been consolidated here he expects to offer it at more locations and sell it at Farmers’ Markets. He said Bubalus Bubalis is part of the Sierra Oro Farm Trail Association and took part in its Passport Weekend fundraiser last September.
CAPREZE SALAD
(From Bubalus Bubalis Web site: www.realmozzarella.com)
Slice one ball of fresh mozzarella di bufala cheese. Slice one ripe vine tomato. Chop a generous amount of fresh basil. Arrange mozzarella, tomato and basil on a plate and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil Serve with fresh bread and a good dry white wine.
Staff Writer Steve Brown can be reached at 896-7755 or sbrown@chicoer.com.
