Bushra Griffith
Provel cheese is a St. Louis favourite, often enjoyed on Imo's pizza or straight out of the package. It is a blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone cheeses with preservatives, flavourings, and liquid smoke. Provel was purportedly invented for St. Louis-style pizza in the 1940s by Costa Grocery, now known as Roma Grocery, in collaboration with Hoffman Dairy of Wisconsin. Today, Provel can be purchased at St. Louis-area grocery stores such as Schnucks, Dierbergs Markets, and Hy-Vee grocery stores across the Midwest. It is also available online for those outside of St. Louis who want to try this unique cheese.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How it tastes | Creamy, buttery, subtly rich, salty, velvety, like melted plastic |
| How it looks | Creamy off-white to golden-hour orange |
| Texture | Gooey, smooth, homogeneous |
| Ingredients | Blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone, preservatives, flavorings, liquid smoke |
| Type of food it is used in | Pizza, pasta sauces, cheese soup, salads, sandwiches, paninis, garlic bread |
| Where to buy it | St. Louis-area grocery stores such as Schnucks, Dierbergs Markets, and Hy-Vee grocery stores across the Midwest, Imo's Pizza |
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What You'll Learn
St. Louis grocery stores, e.g. Schnucks, Dierbergs Markets, and Hy-Vee
Provel cheese is a beloved staple in St. Louis cuisine, rarely sold outside of the city. It is a combination of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone, with added liquid smoke, giving it a hint of smoky flavour. It has a low melting point, a gooey texture, and a buttery flavour. It is the traditional topping for St. Louis-style pizza and is also used in pasta sauces, cheese soup, salads, and sandwiches such as the Gerber sandwich.
If you are looking to buy Provel cheese in St. Louis, you can find it at several grocery stores in the area. Here are some options:
Schnucks
Schnucks is a popular grocery store chain in the St. Louis area. Many sources confirm that you can find Provel cheese at Schnucks locations across the region.
Dierbergs Markets
Dierbergs Markets is another well-known grocery store chain in the St. Louis area. Similar to Schnucks, Dierbergs Markets carry Provel cheese at their stores, making it convenient for locals to find this speciality cheese.
Hy-Vee
Hy-Vee is a Midwest grocery store chain, and fortunately for cheese lovers, they stock Provel cheese at their stores across the Midwest, including in the St. Louis area.
In addition to these grocery stores, you can also order Provel cheese online from Imo's Pizza, a beloved St. Louis pizza chain that is one of the biggest commercial champions of Provel cheese.
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Imo's Pizza
The story of Imo's Pizza and Provel cheese goes back to the 1960s when Ed Imo, the founder of Imo's Pizza, first tasted Provel. He was so impressed by the cheese that he made it Imo's signature offering when he and his wife, Margie, opened their first location in 1964.
Provel cheese is a combination of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone cheeses, along with preservatives, flavourings, and liquid smoke. It was purportedly invented for St. Louis-style pizza in the 1940s by Costa Grocery, in collaboration with Hoffman Dairy of Wisconsin. The cheese was created to meet the demand for a pizza cheese that melted well and broke off nicely when cut or bitten.
Today, Imo's Pizza is known for its St. Louis-style pizza, featuring a cracker crust, Provel cheese, and square slices. The pizza is made with fresh ingredients, including homemade sauce, fresh ground meats, vegetables, and full strips of bacon. The Provel cheese adds a gooey, creamy, and cheesy texture and flavour to the pizza.
In addition to pizza, Imo's Pizza also offers other menu items such as mozzarella sticks, Provel bites, chicken wings, garlic bread, hoagies, and baked pastas. The house salad, featuring shredded Provel cheese and a sweet and acidic dressing, is also a popular choice.
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Local chain Syberg's
Syberg's menu features a range of options that showcase the versatility of Provel cheese. One of their signature offerings is the chicken sandwich, where the cheese takes centre stage, adding a luscious, salty-velvety touch. If you're craving something more indulgent, try their take on poutine, where Provel cheese curds are generously sprinkled over crispy fries and smothered in gravy.
For those seeking a more unconventional approach, Syberg's also offers avocado wraps with Provel cheese. This unexpected combination provides a unique twist, adding a creamy, buttery element to the fresh flavours of the wrap. The cheese's low melting point ensures that it blends seamlessly with the other ingredients, creating a harmonious balance of textures and tastes.
In addition to these creative dishes, Syberg's also offers a range of classic options, such as paninis and garlic bread, where Provel cheese takes on a more traditional role, adding a gooey, savoury touch. Whether you're a St. Louis native or a curious visitor, Syberg's provides an excellent opportunity to experience Provel cheese in a variety of innovative and classic dishes, allowing you to decide which incarnation of this local favourite suits your palate best.
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Window Kitchen inside Third Wheel Brewing
Provel cheese is a St. Louis specialty, rarely found outside of the city. It is a combination of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone cheeses, with added liquid smoke. It was purportedly invented for St. Louis-style pizza in the 1940s by Costa Grocery, now known as Roma Grocery, in collaboration with Hoffman Dairy of Wisconsin. The cheese was created to meet the demand for a pizza cheese that melted well and had a gooey texture without being stringy.
One of the most famous places to find Provel cheese is Imo's Pizza, which has been using the cheese since the 1960s. Imo's Pizza acquired Costa's Grocery, which had the sole rights to sell Provel in St. Louis, and continues to package and sell shredded Provel cheese to customers. Today, there are over a hundred Imo's stores across Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas, and Imo's Food is the exclusive distributor of Provel.
In addition to Imo's Pizza, Provel cheese can be found at various restaurants across St. Louis, including the Window Kitchen inside Third Wheel Brewing, where it is stuffed in avocado wraps. It can also be purchased at St. Louis-area grocery stores such as Schnucks, Dierbergs Markets, and Hy-Vee grocery stores across the Midwest.
Provel cheese has a unique texture and flavor that has led to a love-it-or-hate-it reputation. It has a low melting point, a gooey texture, and a buttery, smoky flavor. While some people enjoy the creamy, subtly rich taste, others compare it to melted plastic. Despite the mixed reviews, Provel cheese remains an iconic and beloved part of St. Louis cuisine.
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Guido's
If you're looking to try Provel cheese at Guido's, you'll have to head to St. Louis. The restaurant is likely named after the Italian-American neighborhood in St. Louis, where fire hydrants are painted in the colors of the Italian flag. This neighborhood, called The Hill, is also where you'll find the grocery store that first sold Provel cheese in the 1940s—then called Costa's Grocery, now Roma Grocery.
Today, the cheese is manufactured and trademarked by a subsidiary of Kraft Heinz, and it's exclusively distributed by Imo's Food, which has over a hundred stores across Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas. You can also buy Provel at St. Louis-area grocery stores, such as Schnucks, Dierbergs Markets, and Hy-Vee grocery stores across the Midwest.
Provel is most famous for its use on St. Louis-style pizza, which typically has a super-thin, crispy crust and red sauce. The cheese is a perfect match for this style of pizza because it melts into a luscious, velvety coating without becoming stringy. It's also used in other dishes like Italian salads, sandwiches, pasta sauces, cheese soup, and avocado wraps.
If you can't make it to St. Louis, you can still try Provel cheese at home by ordering it online. Just be aware that if it's manufactured outside of St. Louis, it can't be called Provel and will be labelled as "St. Louis-Style Cheese."
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Frequently asked questions
Provel cheese can be purchased at St. Louis-area grocery stores such as Schnucks or Dierbergs Markets, and Hy-Vee grocery stores across the Midwest.
Provel is rarely used or sold outside of St. Louis. However, with the internet and just a few clicks, you can get it delivered.
Provel cheese is made from a blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone, along with some preservatives, flavorings, and liquid smoke.
Provel cheese is commonly used on St. Louis-style pizza and is known for its low melting point and gooey texture. It can also be used in pasta sauces, cheese soup, salads, and sandwiches such as the Gerber sandwich.
