Burrata Twice

burrata with melon and prosciutto
Burrata with melon and prosciutto at Ornella in Astoria, Queens
burrata, prosciutto, and figs
Burrata with prosciutto and figs at Il Punto in Manhattan

Last week I had the chance to eat burrata not once but twice! I am consistently mesmerized by burrata, that magical, delicious, amazing cheese. I try to eat it whenever I’m presented with the opportunity.

I first encountered burrata – which translates as “butter” – at Peasant, a restaurant in the NoLita neighborhood in Manhattan. We went there for my birthday a couple of years ago, and it was a wonderful evening, in part because we started with their burrata dish. I was served with roasted tomatoes and the whole thing was just heavenly. I was in food love.

Burrata is basically a fresh mozzarella pouch stuffed with a mixture of warm, loose mozzarella and cream. When you cut into it, it’s very soft and when you taste it, it does live up to its buttery association. It’s a traditional cow’s milk cheese, and a speciality of the Puglia region in Italy.

I would love to learn to make it, too, truth be told.

Last week, I had burrata at two different Italian restaurants – one in Queens and one in Manhattan. Monday night, during our bi-monthly We Heart Astoria Blogger Social, it was available as an appetizer at Ornella Trattoria, a lovely Italian restaurant in Astoria, Queens. It was served with slices of melon and prosciutto, which was seasonal and all delicious.

The following day for lunch at Il Punto, I had a taste of my dining companion’s appetizer, which was burrata served with figs and prosciutto. It was a beautiful seasonal dish, too. I love seeing more burrata on menus around the city.

I’ve also heard that my local Italian Deli, Rosario’s, sometimes carries burrata. Hmm… must inquire about this!

Chickens

chickens

chickens

While I was in Washington, I also got to visit my cousin’s chickens. She has four girls total and they will be egg laying hens when they get old enough – not meat birds.  In this picture, they are hanging out in their chicken tractor, which moves around the property. The chickens really help nourish the earth with their pecking and pooping.

It got me thinking about possibly having chickens of my own backyard. “City chickens” are becoming more and more common in NYC, believe it or not. At this point, I’ve joined Just Food’s City Chicken Meetup group to learn more about keeping chickens in the city!