Burrata means "buttered" in Italian. And, like butter, is exactly how it melts in your mouth and enhances dishes. Usually served at room temperature, this fresh Italian cheese is a delightful combination of buffalo mozzarella and cream, cow’s milk, salt and rennet... although you would think it were made from angels in a heavenly alternate universe where everything looks beautiful and all tastes are divine.

The outer layer comprises a thin layer of mozzarella and when sliced open, a creamy thickened panna (cream) falls from the center.

Burrata was first made about 100 years ago on the Bianchini farm in Murgia, an area in the Apulia region in southern Italy, and is now a staple of Puglia. In the 1950s, cheeseries began making it by using ritagli ("scraps" or "legs") the way a butcher might save scraps for the production of head cheese.

Best served within 24 hours of production, burrata is the perfect complement to antipasti or vegetables, or simply spread on a piece of artisanal bread and dusted with olive oil, salt and cracked pepper.

This post originally appeared at CityRoom.com.