Patrick Oconnell
Imo's Pizza is famous for its use of Provel cheese, a blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone, alongside preservatives, flavourings, and liquid smoke. The cheese was first used by a pizzeria called Luigi's Restaurant in 1953, but it was popularised by Imo's Pizza in the 1960s. Provel's low melting point makes it perfect for pizza, leaving a luscious coating across the top.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Provel |
| Ingredients | Blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone, preservatives, flavourings, liquid smoke, water, tomato paste, sugar, dehydrated onion, salt, spices (black pepper, basil), dehydrated garlic, soybean oil, sodium benzoate |
| Texture | Luscious coating across the top, like a salty-velvety blanket |
| Melting Point | Low |
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What You'll Learn
- Imo's Pizza uses Provel cheese, which is made from a blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone
- Provel is a pasteurized process cheese, a term used by the FDA to describe the blending of multiple cheeses
- Provel has a low melting point, which makes it perfect for pizza
- Provel is a regional delicacy from the Midwest
- Imo's founder Ed Imo was so impressed with Provel that he made it the signature cheese of his pizzeria
Imo's Pizza uses Provel cheese, which is made from a blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone
Imo's Pizza uses Provel cheese, a blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone, alongside preservatives, flavourings, and liquid smoke. Provel is a "pasteurized process cheese", a term used by the FDA to describe the blending of multiple cheeses, low moisture content, and other factors.
Provel was first used by a pizzeria called Luigi's Restaurant in 1953, but it was popularised by Ed Imo, the founder of Imo's Pizza, in the 1960s. Impressed by the cheese's low melting point, which is perfect for pizza, Ed made it Imo's signature cheese when he and his wife, Margie, opened their first location in 1964.
Provel is a regional delicacy, with a unique flavour that people tend to either love or hate. Its popularity is such that Imo's Pizza now sells it separately, allowing customers to buy it by the pound.
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Provel is a pasteurized process cheese, a term used by the FDA to describe the blending of multiple cheeses
Imo's Pizza uses Provel cheese, which is made from a blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone, along with preservatives, flavourings, and liquid smoke. Provel is a pasteurised process cheese, a term used by the FDA to describe the blending of multiple cheeses, low moisture content, and other factors. It was first used by a pizzeria called Luigi's Restaurant in 1953, but it was popularised by Imo's Pizza in the 1960s. Provel has a low melting point, which makes it perfect for pizza, leaving a luscious coating across the top.
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Provel has a low melting point, which makes it perfect for pizza
Imo's Pizza is famous for its use of Provel cheese. Provel is made from a blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone, along with preservatives, flavourings, and liquid smoke. It is technically a "pasteurized process cheese", a term used by the FDA to describe the blending of multiple cheeses, low moisture content, and other factors.
Provel was first used by a pizzeria called Luigi's Restaurant in 1953, but it got its big break when Ed Imo first tasted it in the 1960s. Impressed by its flavour and texture, he made it the signature cheese of Imo's Pizza. The thin crust of Imo's Pizza also lends itself perfectly to the square slicing style that has become the trademark of a classic St. Louis-style slice.
Provel is a regional delicacy, with a love-it-or-hate-it flavour. Its unique taste and texture have made it a popular choice for pizza lovers in the Midwest, and it can now be shipped straight to customers' doors.
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Provel is a regional delicacy from the Midwest
Provel was first used by Luigi's Restaurant in 1953, but it was popularised by Imo's Pizza in the 1960s. Ed Imo, the founder of Imo's Pizza, was so impressed by the cheese that he made it the signature cheese of his pizzeria when he and his wife, Margie, opened their first location in 1964. The low melting point of Provel is perfect for pizza, leaving a luscious coating across the top.
The origins of Provel are debated, but one of the strongest claims is by Hoffman Dairy in Wisconsin, which supposedly partnered with local St. Louis restaurateur Tony Costa to invent the cheese, specifically for pizza, in the 1940s. J.S. Hoffman Co., a Chicago-based importer of meats and cheeses, was granted a trademark for Provel in 1950.
Provel has become so famous that it can now be shipped straight to your door. It's a love-it-or-hate-it flavour, but for those who love it, it's a taste of home.
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Imo's founder Ed Imo was so impressed with Provel that he made it the signature cheese of his pizzeria
Provel was first trademarked by J.S. Hoffman Co., a Chicago-based importer of meats and cheeses, in 1950. However, its true origins are debated. One of the strongest claims is by Hoffman Dairy in Wisconsin, which supposedly partnered with local St. Louis restaurateur Tony Costa to invent the cheese specifically for pizza in the 1940s. Another claim is that it was first used by a pizzeria called Luigi's Restaurant in 1953.
Provel's low melting point makes it perfect for pizza, leaving a luscious coating across the top. It's a regional delicacy, with a love-it-or-hate-it flavour. Imo's Pizza, with its signature Provel cheese, has become the gold standard in St. Louis-style pizza.
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Frequently asked questions
Imo's Pizza uses Provel cheese, which is made from a blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone, alongside some preservatives, flavourings, and liquid smoke.
Provel is a "pasteurized process cheese", a term used by the FDA to categorise cheese blends with low moisture content and other factors. It is not technically a cheese.
Provel was first used by a pizzeria called Luigi's Restaurant in 1953, but Ed Imo, the founder of Imo's Pizza, was so impressed when he first tasted it in the 1960s that he made it his signature cheese. Its low melting point is perfect for pizza.
Provel is a regional delicacy in the Midwest, specifically in St. Louis, where Imo's Pizza is based. Its flavour is said to be love-it-or-hate-it.
