Imagine we are at a restaurant, and I started talking to you about "Mutz." Now, if you were born into a traditional Italian family, you would smile, nod and follow along with my story....but those of you NOT right off the boat from Italy may be a little confused.

Apparently in Hoboken, there's a festival devoted to Mutz. According to bestofnj.com, Mutzfest is a rite of passage for residents. In fact, the article also quoted another timeless magazine, Time. "There are things that you can miss for many years and not know it. Some that come to mind are great sex, true love, self-esteem and real mozzarella."

"Mutz" is slang for fresh mozzarella. If you like this soft, silky, creamy and oh so melty cheese...then you should get to know the term and use it. Trust me, when you do, you'll probably be pulled aside and asked, "Do you know where to get the best fresh mozzarella?"

Culinary "Mad Scientist," Food Network featured chef and owner of 3 successful Tony Boloney's restaurants, Mike Hauke has been making fresh mozzarella for years. He's been using it at his restaurants (Hoboken, Jersey City and yes, the one in Atlantic City) and selling it at local farmers' markets with a very dedicated following. Now Hauke is launching a new endeavor...Mad Mutz Mozzarella Sticks (just in time for National Mozzarella Stick Day on October 20) and I'm lucky enough to be invited to the media event for a tasting and a tour right at the Mad Mutz Laboratory at 2643 Fairmount Avenue in Atlantic City. This facility is not open to the public. It's a wholesale manufacturing factory, which Atlantic City hasn't had in quite some time. Hauke admits, "Atlantic City has historically had a diverse food culture, but now Tony Boloney's is stepping up the cheesy-factor in AC! As an expert in the crazy-culinary pizza and sub world, we are now thrilled to be manufacturing Mad Mutz Mozzarella right here in Atlantic City, where it all started in 2009 with Tony Boloney's. Made in Atlantic City = Distributed to the World."

So, now you know what the "Mutz" is about in Atlantic City. Stay tuned because there is more to come after the tasting!

ABOUT MAD MUTZ: How are Mad Mutz Mozzarella Sticks different from "normal" Mozzarella Sticks? They are made from scratch from milk sourced from Vermont, with a higher volume of cheese with less breadcrumbs than the standard mozzarella sticks and they're made FRESH right here in Atlantic City with no preservatives.

Mad Mutz offers superior quality and flavor profiles that are out of this world, like Truffle Mutz with real black and white truffles, rainbow-colored Unicorn sticks with sparkle glitter crust and the showstopper, The Lucifer: black mozzarella with a charcoal Carolina Reaper crust that packs a fiery 2.9 million Scoville units. Plus, vegan and gluten free options as well.

Go to MadMutz.com for details: Instagram: @madmutz FB: Mad Mutz

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