New Wabasso business offers fresh mozzarella, and more!

When longtime residents of Indian River County think of Brookly, N.Y., their first flashback images may be of the borough's one-time legandary baseball team, the Dodgers and, of course, cheese, the Lioni Lattucini way.

That the Dodgers traveled west is, as they say, "past history." That award-winning Lioni Latticini is establishing its name and quality cheese products in Wabasso is due to the enterprising spirit of Jeffrey Silver, president of The Fresh Mozzarella Co.

The Fresh Mozzarella Co. has been reaching out to residents of Indian Rover County since Aug. 1. But despite holding three "grand openings" the message still needs to be shouted out. Three grand openings? Yes, three grand openings. Nature's recent rages have given Silver little choice.

"We had a pre-hurricane grand opening, one during the hurricane, and a post-hurricane grand opening," Silver says.

So, what is the message that Silver still shouts? Freshness and natural goodness!

"My trucks come down from New York every week with fresh mozzarella products, fresh pasta from Italy, organic kosher olives, stuffed olives, frozen handmade desserts from Brooklyn and H & H bagels from Manhattan," says Silver.

Additionally, the foods contain absolutely no preservatives or additives, according to a company brochure.

How about best sellers? In Silver's estimation, they are hard to pin down.

"It's going to sounds funny," states Silver, who has been in the cheese business for 23 years, manufacturing and distributing nationally, "but most of the products we have are hot-selling items only because I hand pick the items to sell."

Competition? You've got to expect it. Does it really stack up, in Silver's view?

"I embrace the competition," says Silver. "I'm very proud of the things we have, especially the mozzarella products, really top quality.

People can purchase similar items, but the quality that I have at the prices that I'm marking everthing down to, which is slightly above wholesale, cannot be matched... in this area, specifcally."

Also among the fast-off-the-shelves and out-of-the-coolers items are desserts, highlighted by a 16-slice, pre-sliced cream cheesecake from Brooklyn.

Expansion is in the planning stage. Room will soon be made for a wide range of top quality American and Italian dining favorites, each containing more than enought to serve two. "Basically, for under $9... really top of the line products," he says.

For the holiday shoppers, gift baskets will soon be on sale.

"Down here (in Wabasso) I'm the distributor for Lioni Latticini, which means 'transformer of milk' in English... and the Fresh Mozzarella Co. is the distributor for the state."

Vero Beach resident, Silver, divorced and father of Jordan silver, 8, a student at Osceola Magnet School, descided to open the business in Indian River County because "there's a lot of opportunity in this corridor," states Silver, a Queens, N.Y. transplant.

"I came down here (almost two years ago) after the World Trade Center went down, and I realized it wasn't a dress rehearsal, and I didn't want to waste any more time. I wanted to be down here with my son," Silver said.

Named after a small town in the hills of the Avellino region of Italy, Lioni, which caters to upscale specialty stores, gourmet supermarket chains, food service distributors and airline catering, has brought over five generations and more than 100 years of family tradition with them, according to the compay's Web site. There is a manufacturing plant in New Jersey.

For additional information, call 388-6678 or visit the Fresh Mozzarella Co. at 8705 U.S. 1, Wabasso.

- by Tom Jennings - correspondent