Fresh Mozzarella and Rice Balls

In the deli with dad.

user rating

5.0 out of 5 stars(2)

My dad is a deli man. While some fathers permeate a room with the smell of Stetson or Old Spice, mine is perfectly perfumed with Parmigiano Reggiano and hints of dried sausages. My dad, better known as Artie by his followers—loyal customers he has known for years, who wait in line at his deli counter for paper-thin slices of prosciutto or handmade fresh mozzarella (he makes 45 to 50 pounds a day)—has made cold cuts his game for as long as I can remember.

Growing up, my sister and I were never deprived of deli meats. By age 5, I was already brand loyal. Boars Head was (and still is) the only deli meat found in between my two slices of bread and was a household name, right up there with Sesame Street.

I love watching my dad behind the deli. As a kid, I always felt lucky when I got to go behind the counter for a sample of bologna. It was like having a VIP all-access pass to your favorite band. Nowadays, every so often, Brad, Gianna and I take a ride up from New York City to surprise “Pop-Pops” behind his counter in Pelham, N.Y., where he runs the deli—with an Italian persuasion—at a Met Foodmarket. We all get as much of a thrill seeing him as he does us.

One recent visit we were treated to some just-made warm and creamy bocconcini mozzarella (mini mozzarella knots) and, something new for Gianna, arancini de riso (rice balls)—a garlicky deep-fried mixture of rice, peas, ground meat and cheeses that’s crispy on the outside and moist and cheesy on the inside—that was made by my dad’s coworker, Rita. She immediately ran up to Gianna and gave her a mini one fresh out of the fryer. I was hesitant as I stood back to watch Gianna’s reaction to this round concoction. I thought, well, she loves rice, tolerates peas, is not a fan of ground meat (I’m waiting for the day she eats a hamburger) and is a fan of anything cheese. So I crossed my fingers and hoped she would like these ingredients all mashed together.

To my surprise, after the first bite she went in for more. And soon declared her love for everything rice all. This was a hurdle I was waiting for her to overcome for a while. Not eating a rice ball, per se, but eating a food with more than one component and not having the ingredients separated on a plate. In fact, the other day she decided to mix her carrots and hummus into her “curly” pasta, declaring the mixture “delicious.”

When we got home that night, Gianna declared it a “Great Day.” “We got to see Pop-Pops, and I tried something new—and I liked it!” she said.

It was a great day. I’m confident that Gianna will continue to try new food creations. And she will, I’m sure, become one of Artie’s groupies on the other side of the deli counter. What am I talking about? She, like me, already has a backstage pass!—Nicole Denis

Nicole Denis is a regular foodspring.com contributor
and is the author of foodspring’s foodie-mom blog.