Buying vs Making Mozzarella; Cost and Time implications

[thezaman]

 a question that this thread brings up.a local supplier who hand stretches mozzarella every day and whether or not he uses curd to start with.I'll bet a lot of then do.why would their be so much of it sold if the delis and cheese shops aren't using it.
 and on to the marketing comment the only reasons i do not use the finished mozzarella in balls is because i market hand stretched mozzarella as a selling point, and as john mentioned i can adjust salt levels to blend with my sauce and cheese.
 and it is fun doing it yourself.one week over the summer we did 400 pounds that was a challenge.on the other side 20 cases of curd take up a lot less space than 22 cases of finished cheese
 usually we do 20 to 30 per week.
 can't see the jerk comment as needed, a misunderstanding in what information you wanted is all it was.this is a great group of people who all love this pizza stuff we are trying to perfect.
 

[La Sera]

The cost of making something vs. buying it depends on what you're making, where you're located, how much raw materials X and Y you're buying to make finished product volume Z, plus the variables of local labor cost, and equipment to make it.

I don't think anyone can answer the question as asked by hawthead, I mean hawtsauce. He has to answer it himself.

Your friend,
The Jerk

[thezaman]

update on cost. 280 for curd 4.29 for mozzarella in brine. well worth making vs. buying.

[Giggliato]

Can you leave curds to marinate in brine for a time, and will they taste/melt as good as stretched curds?

[jeff v]

will they taste/melt as good as stretched curds?

No. I knew someone who did this and while not terrible, the stretchy creamy goodness wasn't close to what it should be.

[souspizzaiolo]

We make mozzarella from curd in my shop and it's awesome. I never get tired of telling people that we make it, and they are always enamored. It's no more expensive to make for us than to buy mediocre mozzarella. And the curd has a great shelf life. We make fried mozzarella coins with it and they stretch so much we call it mozzarella yoga. Don't store them in brine. Store them tightly wrapped in Saran and yer good. Don't call people jerks either. Won't get you far in the pizza biz.

[thezaman]

 yes, ask the pizza guy that was in ny and moved to the west coast.

[Giggliato]

No. I knew someone who did this and while not terrible, the stretchy creamy goodness wasn't close to what it should be.

Can someone please elaborate as to why the stretching of hot curds produces a final product that differs from what would be had had the curds not had been stretched?

[Chicago Bob]

Can someone please elaborate as to why the stretching of hot curds produces a final product that differs from what would be had had the curds not had been stretched?

no...

[jeff v]

Can someone please elaborate as to why the stretching of hot curds produces a final product that differs from what would be had had the curds not had been stretched?

The heating and pulling gives the strechyness and stringy pull. I think it also has a creamier texture than curd and curd isn't seasoned. 

[hotsawce]

I assume we're square after that comment 

The cost of making something vs. buying it depends on what you're making, where you're located, how much raw materials X and Y you're buying to make finished product volume Z, plus the variables of local labor cost, and equipment to make it.

I don't think anyone can answer the question as asked by hawthead, I mean hawtsauce. He has to answer it himself.

Your friend,
The Jerk

[hotsawce]

Thank ya! At this point just gathering information, as you can never be too prepared...even if you're just contemplating making the jump, I suppose.

I, personally, haven't made it before but I'm going to research it heavily in the event I decide to proceed in the future and make the mozz. I've noted the discussion about stretching hot curds, so I think it begs the question; "If one were to make fresh mozz, what method will produce the best mozz."

update on cost. 280 for curd 4.29 for mozzarella in brine. well worth making vs. buying.

[hotsawce]

The demand for fresh food is something that doesn't change and, if anything, is only showing a serious upward trend (particularly when you take into consideration the "numbers" for restaurants are becoming increasingly more favorable.)

I'll come back and ask a year before I'm ready and end up grossly unprepared as a result...

The market probably will have greatly changed by then,   come back when you.....are ready.

[Chicago Bob]

The demand for fresh food is something that doesn't change and, if anything, is only showing a serious upward trend (particularly when you take into consideration the "numbers" for restaurants are becoming increasingly more favorable.)

I'll come back and ask a year before I'm ready and end up grossly unprepared as a result...

A month or two should suffice pizza pal....let's keep it real is what I like to envision...

Like what's his name says.....
"You got a problem with that".....     You're not alone hotsawce ....

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PXM8Vj3lCU[/youtube]

[hotsawce]

So long as we're talking everything business related, why not venture further and discuss how I should market, develop a menu, use fresh mozzarella in other dishes, etc etc. Long story short, you could use the "it's related to your business" argument to inject anything as a response to the original question. Let's be real, how many threads here get off topic because of that? I've already explained myself, but go check La Serras post history to see the same negativity in nearly every other thread he's posted in because of his situation. Sorry, but I'm not looking to have someone project their negative experiences to change MY mind or effect what I'm looking to do or trying to learn.

If you're so offended by a one word response, simply don't respond to the thread. You've made your opinion clear in a few posts. I've got it. We can move on or we can have more moral policing in this thread.  

When I read your initial post, the first thing to pass through my mind was how bloody good was the fresh mozzarella that Josh (Pieous in Austin, TX) made for us at Tom’s house a couple months ago. Like many folks here, I’ve thought seriously about opening a pizzeria, and immediately I was thinking about if this was something I’d do in my place if I opened one. The questions I considered were similar to what La Sara posed to you. Since the cash cost is so simple to calculate – and varies from place to place, I didn’t even think about answering along those lines. I was however going to give you an answer similar to La Sara’s until I saw that he had already done so.  I’m now very glad that I didn’t as I hate to think how I would have responded if you called me a jerk.

Good luck the next time you ask for help.

[La Sera]

Are you going to be OK, or do you need some counseling?

You're nuts.

[Pete-zza]

Everyone, please calm down and keep the thread on topic and avoid personal attacks.

Peter

[hotsawce]

Really not trying to be a jerk, but I'm getting a lot of responses on how I should go about planning, concept, market, what my time frame should be, etc. It's just not what I'm looking for.

A month or two should suffice pizza pal....let's keep it real is what I like to envision...

Like what's his name says.....
"You got a problem with that".....     You're not alone hotsawce ....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PXM8Vj3lCU

[Tscarborough]

But all of that directly applies to your question, so you are either simply looking for reinforcement of your current thoughts, or not really interested in a real answer.

[hotsawce]

thanks for the response. very interesting, did not know that!

The heating and pulling gives the strechyness and stringy pull. I think it also has a creamier texture than curd and curd isn't seasoned.