Mascot of Precious Cheese, official sponsor of the San Gennaro festival 2003, in ad odd juxtaposition with the statue of the saint

The variety of Italian cheeses readily available in Southern California is growing. While the rarer cheeses can be found in specialty shops, many can now be found in supermarkets, Italian delis, and increasingly online (See: Markets & Delis). Mozzarella made from water buffalo (bubalus bubalis) milk seems to be one cheese that has made a major leap into mainstream stores (e.g., Costco, Ralphs, etc.).

Gioia Cheese Co., Inc. (Est. 1993)
Caseificio Gioia
1605 Potrero Ave.
South El Monte, CA 91733
Tel: (626) 444-6015
Fax: (626) 444-6019
E-mail: gioiacheese@hotmail.com
Vito Girardi, Owner

Burrata, Burricotti, Caciocavallo, Mascarpone, Mozzarella, Mozzarella (water-packed), Ricotta, Scamorza

Mozzarella Fresca Inc. (Est. 1983)
DBA Ital Cheese Plant
615 North Burnett Road
Tipton, CA 93272
Tel: (559) 752-4823
E-mail: info@italcheese.com
E-mail: sales@italcheese.com
http://www.italcheese.com
http://www.mozzarellafresca.com

ITALFrescaÆ; Italcheese; Mozzarella Fresca. Cryorac Mozzarella, Mascarpone, Mozzarella (water-packed), Organic, Organic Fresh Mozzarella, Organic Ricotta, Ricotta,Smoked Mozzarella

Italcheese
1075 First St. Suite 3
Benicia, CA 94510
Tel: (707) 746-6818
http://www.italcheese.com/

Fresh Italian cheeses, from mozzarella, and mascarpone, to ricotta. Recently moved from Gardena to Benicia.

Mozarellafresca.com
1850 Gateway Blvd., Suite 100
Concord, CA 94520
Tel: (925) 887-9600
Tel: (925) 887-9607

Saputo Cheese USA Inc. (Est. 1946)
5611 East Imperial Highway
South Gate, CA 90280
Tel: (562) 862-7686
Fax: (562) 861-4265

Frigo, Mozzarella, Ricotta, String cheese

Bulk Cheese Producer, Sierra, MonteBello. Feta, Mozzarella, Requeson, Ricotta, Scamorza, String, Tuma.


Tutto Latte Mozzarella Cheese Factory ( Est. 1995)
5027 Heintz St.
Baldwin Park, CA 91706
Tel:(626) 337-8154 ph.
Tel: (626) 337-9354 fax
Email: domenicob@cantarefoods.com

Tutto Latteô Fiorellaô. Burrata, Fresh Mozzarella, Fresh Ricotta, Mascarpone, Mozzarella, Scamorza

A Bit of History: Virgilio Cicconi: From swordfishing to ItalCheese.
When Virgilio Cicconi started making fresh mozzarella-soft, cakey and sweet-sour-at his Italcheese factory in Gardena, the FDA told him he couldn't call it that because its moisture content was too high. Only after several years and testimony from Italian cheese experts did the government agency relent. [Ö] When he came to the United States in 1964 from San Benedetto del Tronto, on Italy's Adriatic coast, he took up angling for swordfish off Catalina. But he was forced to find another line of work in 1983 when overfishing dried up the swordfish banks. "Why don't you make cheese?" asked his sister, who still lives in Italy. "The stuff I eat when I visit you tastes like soap." Cicconi wasn't always a mozzarella maker. After eight years and countless trials, the red, white and green containers of Italcheese's fresh mozzarella have become familiar supermarket fare.

From: "A guide to the Best of Southern California All-American Traditions," by Russ Parsons, Los Angeles Times, Jun 30, 1991. p. 4. More on Virgilio Cicconi and his family business at: http://www.cheesemarketnews.com/articlearch/retailwatch/rw15feb02.html

Of related interest:

Real California Cheese: http://www.realcaliforniacheese.com/home.cfm?start=1

Learn more about mozzarella di bufala: http://www.mozzarelladibufala.net/

Artisan Cheese Gallery
12023 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604
Tel: (818) 505-0207
Fax: (818) 505-0282
E-mail: melody@artisancheesegallery.com
http://www.artisancheesegallery.com/

Cheese Store Beverly Hills
419 N Beverly Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Tel: (310) 278-2855
Toll-free: (800) 547-1515
Fax: (310) 278-3429
E-mail: info@cheesestorebh.com
www.cheesestorebh.com

Cube at Divine Pasta Co
615 N La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Tel: (323) 939-1148
www.cubemarketplace.com