Especially in the Salerno area, Provola affumicata is made by following that same described method, yet the milk is buffalo milk only. The restriction is not a flourish: it sets the cheese apart from versions that might draw on other milks, and it keeps the craft tied to a precise dairy choice rather than a vague local habit.
Unlike mozzarella, this smoked provola does not have to be eaten at once. It can be kept for a longer stretch, so the kitchen is not forced into an immediate plate. That extra time is part of how the cheese is meant to live after it leaves the vat, a quiet contrast to the fresh pull of mozzarella that cannot wait.