A made-in-Wisconsin pasteurized processed cheese food product distributed primarily in and around St. Louis, Provel cheese is a mix of provolone, Cheddar, and Swiss. It can be used in Italianate casseroles and in hot sandwiches, but its most prominent role is on top of pizzas. Because it does not weep oil like fattier cheeses, it is an ideal component of the ultra-thin, unleavened-crust pizza St. Louisians prefer. In fact, it was invented in St. Louis in the 1940s when a grocery store in the Hill (the Italian neighborhood) worked with a cheese company to develop something for pizza that didn’t stretch and drip like melted mozzarella.
Although made in Wisconsin, Provel cheese is most popular in St. Louis, where it is the standard pizza topper. CHRIS AYERS AND AMY BRIESCH