JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A St. Charles lawmaker has introduced a bill in hopes for St. Louis-style Provel cheese to be considered the “official cheese for Missouri.”
Missouri State Rep. Adam Schwardon (R-St. Charles) tossed the idea through HB 2819, dubbing Provel cheese as “prominent in St. Louis cuisine.”
The cheese is best known for its impact on Imo’s Pizza, which has more than 100 locations in the Midwest and is celebrating six decades in business this year.
Provel blends together provelone, cheddar and Swiss cheeses and comes out white in color. Some food connoisseurs consider it milky like Mozzarella cheese, but also with the texture of nacho-like cheese.
A 2013 report from NPR suggests that Provel cheese is “practically unknown outside of St. Louis, but in that city, Provel can be found all over, melted onto pizzas and hamburgers and adorning pasta and salads.” You might also find Provel selections for soup and sandwiches around the St. Louis metro.
The cheese is also sold raw in some grocery stores. If you buy the Imo’s brand, you might see a label that reads “pasteurized process cheese,” an FDA categorization that indicates the blending of multiple cheeses and low moisture content.
The bill has been introduced and read at least two times on the floor, but has not yet been assigned to a committee, according to an online Missouri bill tracker.
