Biting into a freshly-made globe of mozzarella, porcelain smoothness yields to a creamy interior and milk trickles down the cheeks. For any Neapolitan, this is true pleasure. And everyone knows the best spot for such an afternoon delight is at a cheese factory in the countryside – namely in the Caserta and Salerno provinces. There, some of the best Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP is shaped daily from fresh buffalo milk.
For those of us stuck in the city center and craving that addictive bite of newly made mozzarella, one of Sogni di Latte’s two locations is our first stop. Cheesemonger Gigi Muroli opened this shop (Sogni di Latte meaning “dreams of milk”) in 2014, cementing his passion for milk in every shape and form and expanding on his family’s history as cheese and dairy suppliers.
Both of Sogni di Latte’s locations offer the perfect opportunity for an impromptu cheese picnic in nearby city parks. The first shop is a stone’s throw from La Floridiana in the scenic Vomero hilltop borough, while the second is a brief walk from the seafront stretch of Villa Comunale. We’re not ashamed to admit we’ve grabbed a brine-filled sack of fresh mozzarella and mauled it right there in the park.
The nose and eyes are seduced upon entering the shop near Villa Comunale, on via Cavallerizza a Chiaia – an elegant, narrow street right behind the small and crowded maze hosting some of the best of Neapolitan movida (nightlife). Wooden counters and shelving host an alluring array of formaggio in every shape and shade of white, with the occasional splotch of color in the form of blue veins, washed and bloomy rinds, precious mold, herbs and spices, and maturing varieties.
Caciocavallo (a stretched-curd cheese) and provolone hang on their customary strings, while others are neatly arranged in round wooden boxes or huge vacuum-sealed wedges. There are whole wheels still to be notched, bowls full of creamy mascarpone, irresistible single-serving goat cheeses covered with dried fruit and herbs and, of course, the essential small tank of mozzarella balls swimming in their pearly liquid.
The upscale, flawless appearance of the shop – somewhere between a cozy hut and a Nordic-inspired boutique – is warmed up by the friendly and smiling staff who are ready to share knowledge, make suggestions and, most importantly, cut wedges to sample anything you like. When we asked for a primer on Campania cheeses, Gigi and his staff (who he has personally trained) were happy to help.
“If I had to pinpoint three kinds of cheese from Campania that one should taste, I would say: First, the Provolone del Monaco, a matured pasta filata cheese whose taste has quite a wide appreciation,” Gigi says. Pasta filata is also known in English as stretched-curd, and – as the name indicates – this cheese is made by stretching the cheese curds in a warm solution.
Gigi continues: “Next, one amongst the intense sheep cheeses from the Irpinia rural area, such as Carmasciano or Pecorino Bagnolese. And then, the lovely, tasty and fresh caciotta stracchinata [creamy round cheese] made by Francesco Savoia in the same area. He uses the purest milk from his Pezzata Rossa cows.”
“Plus, of course, the delicious fresh cheeses such as buffalo mozzarella or the even-tastier fiordilatte di Agerola,” Gigi can’t help but add. Made from the tasty cow’s milk from Monti Lattari, not far from Vesuvius, the latter has a stronger, savory taste and a deliciously chewable and compact texture, making it the favorite choice for many Neapolitans, including Gigi.
Sogni di Latte is a popular spot in Naples, especially at weekends, to stock up on fresh mozzarella (or the aforementioned fiordilatte) for the family, or for a cheese platter to bring to a friend’s traditional Sunday lunch (this would be in place of, or in addition to, the usual pastry tray filled with babà and sfogliatelle). Few can resist the temptation to sample cheeses while they wait for their order.
Then there are the essential cheese side-kicks: loaves of freshly baked bread, grissini (breadsticks), crackers and other carb-fueled delicacies; shades of different honeys, marmalades and jams; a glass cold case filled with yogurts and kefirs; and bottles of wines, ready for picnics and dinner parties alike. Our most recent indulgence was a triangle of crescia marchigiana (a soft hand-rolled bread from the Marche region) filled with creamy stracchino.
There are of course more substantial offerings for those with a sweet tooth, like the “deconstructed cannolo.” A decadent mix of fresh ricotta and sugar is spun with chocolate chips and crumbly flakes of fried cannolo biscuit, and served in a gelato cup with a spoon. The cheese-based street-friendly options do not stop there. More come in the shape of the “Spicchitiello,” a cone-shaped, open takeaway box that can be filled with your choice of cheese and crunchy grissini. We could have gone for the intense Comté from France, or perhaps the coarse-textured famous umami bomb, Parmigiano Reggiano. But we opt for the bocconcini – those small, round morsels of mozzarella. It might just be the perfect takeout aperitivo.
The Spicchitiello also met with big success in Capri, the sun-kissed and celebrity-studded island where a third Sogni di Latte branch was launched in August. Spurred on by this success, Gigi has added a few more innovations to his cheese shop. Pre-pandemic Thursday tasting sessions have morphed into bespoke evening bookings for small gatherings that Gigi calls a “supercharged aperitivo,” and he has rounded out the aperitivo to-go experience with bottled cocktails. He is working with Italian brand Mixami, whose resealable bottles of tasty cocktails make a picnic in the park that much easier.
The Sogni di Latte staff told us their preferred pairings: a mai tai or gimlet with fresh cheeses like Robiola di Roccaverano or buffalo Formaggella; boulevardier with more mature cheeses like Carmasciano or Bagnolese Pecorino; old fashioneds with strong blue cheeses; and a martini or daiquiri with aged ones such as Comté or the intense Provolone di Recco from the nearby coastal city of Formia.
Gigi has made his childhood dream of milk come true, collecting the dreams of other shepherds, dairy farmers and artisans from all over Italy and beyond. His special focus on scouting out the most interesting production of the Campania region has turned his shops into fairytale worlds for cheese lovers, who no longer have to keep dreaming of that perfect bite of milky mozzarella.
Luciana SquadrilliGianni Cipriano and Sara Smarrazzo
Published on December 01, 2023
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