ALL THE EXCELLENCE OF BUFFALO MILK
Giving life to products of absolute excellence beginning with buffalo milk
“Ella” is the recorded brand which identifies a new range of high quality artisanal cheeses, specifically developed to meet the needs of an increasingly demanding and knowledgeable clientele, who expect high quality food products and are mindful of both origin and processing of the raw materials.
The richness and variety of raw materials, the geography and history of the territories, the “deposits/layers”, the “niches” are not just an almost museum-like, static repertoire, but are continually discovered and reinvented, in the sense that more and more often young producers, artisans and modernizers in general, possessing culture and techniques, are also able to develop, transform and innovate traditions, while still respecting them.
… .. the mission is to give life to products of absolute excellence starting from milk, buffalo milk in particular, produced in the typical area of origin. Before that, by focusing on the animal’s welfare by carefully following the biological cycle and respecting the times, is the essential starting point for us. The picture is completed by extreme craftsmanship during the process and preservation, and the dissemination of knowledge that governed – without any other tool than experience – the mysterious and alchemical fermentation process.
The elements that give solidness and substance to our vision are the use of fresh milk processed just after milking, the absence of additives that determine an artificial extension of durability, the use of natural starters such as whey, the use of hands for spinning and shaping through the “mozzatura” which takes place in precious mahogany wood vats, and the sweet brine that allows you to fully appreciate the peculiarities of a unique product.
AWARENESS AT THE TABLE
The supply chain
We would be educated consumers if we were able to discern a cheese made from grazing animal milk or recognize a raw milk cheese or prefer a cheese aged in a cave, but most of all, we would be informed consumers if we were able to choose which path to take.
Peppe Iaconelli's cheeses
After creating a sheep and goat breeding company in the 80s in his family’s old olive grove, he was curious and hungry for knowledge. He travelled to northern Italy and France to search for business to shape and model his company after
From these experiences Giuseppe developed his working philosophy and invented his own tradition:
“To produce my cheeses, I search for and select the best buffalo, cow, goat and sheep milk. My experience as a breeder leads me towards investigating the supply chain processes with interest and competence. My philosophy is that at the center of the reasoning there is milk, made in the field before the stable, from happy animals. The production process is based on pure craftsmanship: milk, raw if possible, rennet and salt are the ingredients, while vats and tubs and arms are the tools along with a tremendous respect for a fantastic raw material. All this must not be misleading; however, the craftsmanship concept must be contextualized to the needs and legitimate expectations of the contemporary market therefore requiring considerable utilization of all technology necessary to monitor the product from the beginning to the end of the process “.
In addition to producing, Giuseppe also tried his hand at aging and refining cheeses achieving excellent results by recovering old hypogea and ancient structures already used over the years as rooms for storing and maturing cheeses.
