Provel (/proʊˈvɛl/ proh-VEL) is a white processed cheese prominent in St. Louis cuisine.[1] A combination of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone,[2][3][4] Provel has a low melting point and a gooey texture and buttery flavor.
| Provel cheese | |
|---|---|
Provel pasteurized processed cheese for pizza in a 5-pound block
| |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Town | St. Louis |
| Source of milk | Cows |
Provel cheese is the traditional topping for St. Louis–style pizza. It is also used in pasta sauces, cheese soup, salads, and sandwiches such as the Gerber sandwich.
Provel is rarely used or sold outside of St. Louis.[5] Provel can be purchased at St. Louis-area grocery stores such as SchnucksorDierbergs Markets, and Hy-Vee grocery stores across the Midwest.
Provel was purportedly invented for St. Louis–style pizza in the 1940s by Costa Grocery (now Roma Grocery on the Hill), in collaboration with Hoffman DairyofWisconsin (now part of Kraft Foods), according to St. Louis Post-Dispatch food writer Joe Bonwich. Provel was developed to meet demand for a pizza cheese with a clean bite, melting well while breaking off nicely when cut or bitten.[6]
Neither Kraft Foods nor Roma Grocery has a definitive answer for the origin of the name, although one popular theory is that it is a portmanteau of the words provolone and mozzarella, two of the cheeses for which it is substituted.[6]
The Provel name trademark, was first used in 1947 and held by the Churny Company, Inc. of Glenview, Illinois. Churny later became a wholly-owned subsidiaryofKraft Foods[7] after it was closed in 2012.[8]