Like other classic cheeses, Parmesan has been pleasing palates for so long that its popularity can be underappreciated. It’s a mainstay ingredient across the restaurant industry—everything from casual to midscale to fine dining—and for good reason. Roughly 8 in 10 consumers say they like or love it (only mozzarella and cheddar are more popular), and 69% say they eat Parmesan at least once a month, according to Datassential research.
Grate Expectations: Cooking With Parmesan
Topics: Main Dishes, Appetizers, Stella, Cow’s Milk, Pasta, Salads & Soups, Parmesan Cheese, Hard Cheese
One Name, Many Cheeses: Mozzarella Types Explained
Its history in Italy and the United States underscores an important fact about mozzarella cheese: Although they all share the name “mozzarella,” there are actually several different varieties of the beloved Italian cheese, each with its own unique characteristics.
Topics: Main Dishes, Appetizers, Side Dishes, Stella, Snacking Cheese, Cow’s Milk, Meal Kit, Takeout, Delivery, Process, Techniques, Retail, National, Certification & Education, Chain, Independent, Pasta, Pizza, Saputo Premium Gold, Salads & Soups, Ingredients, Global, Varieties, Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Traditional Mozzarella Cheese, Moisture Content, Consumer Trends & Insights, Pizzeria, Mozzarella Cheese Blend, Deli, Menu Trends & Insights, Sandwiches, Flavors & Ingredients Trends & Insights, Plant-Based & Plant-Forward, Snack, Soft & Fresh Cheese, CPG Manufacturer, Frigo Cheese, Shredded Cheese, Pasta Filata, Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, Research & Development, Frigo Cheese Heads, Cheese Sticks, String Cheese, Processed, Keto, Protein
‘Tis the Season for Festive—and Cheesy—Holiday Menu Items
Holiday celebrations will look and feel different for most people this year due to the pandemic and evolving restrictions in many U.S. states and around the world. Smaller family gatherings, fewer (if any) restaurant buffets and other eating-related adjustments won’t stop people from enjoying their favorite traditional holiday foods—including macaroni and cheese, gratins and other rich, satisfying dishes—however.
Topics: Blue Cheese, Main Dishes, Appetizers, Side Dishes, Brie Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Meal Kit, Takeout, Techniques, Menu Strategy, Recipes, Ingredients, Applications, Specialty Cheese, Monterey Jack Cheese, Ingredient Cheese, Parmesan Cheese, Consumer Trends & Insights, Sharp, Seasonal, Holidays, Events
Crafting Your Cheese Dish Claim to Fame
Signature dishes that feature savory, delicious cheese can entice customers to keep coming back. Need proof?
Recent research confirms that consumers love cheese: nearly half (46%) say they look forward to signature cheese dishes when eating restaurant cuisine. Six in 10 operators believe adding cheese helps items sell better.
Topics: Appetizers, Cheddar Cheese, goat cheese (chevre), Takeout, Techniques, Menu Strategy, ricotta cheese, Pasta, Pizza, Recipes, Applications, consumer trends and insights, Varieties, blend, Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, Traditional Mozzarella Cheese, Monterey Jack Cheese, Ingredient Cheese, 9-month-aged, Parmesan Cheese, Hard Cheese, Moisture Content, smoked, Black Creek
Ricotta Cheese: The Whey to Go
It’s easy to overlook ricotta. Mild, fluffy and slightly sweet, the Italian cheese is most closely associated with lasagna, where it’s typically blended with mozzarella and Parmesan. (The same mixture figures prominently in ravioli, manicotti and cannoli as well.) Indeed, for both professional chefs and home cooks, ricotta often plays a supporting (rather than starring) role.
Topics: Main Dishes, Appetizers, Stella, Cow’s Milk, Techniques, ricotta cheese, Pasta, Pizza, desserts, Frigo, Saputo Premium Gold, Recipes, ricotta salata cheese, Salads & Soups, Ingredients
Crafting the Perfect Cheese Board: Pointers from and for Foodservice Pros
Few appetizers or savory dessert choices yield as many oohs and aahs as a cheese board. Done well, a cheese board offers a veritable feast for the senses: the bold orange of a cheddar cheese block, the unmistakable scent of a veiny blue cheese, the glistening sparkle of a bunch of grapes, the briny aroma of an olive-filled ramekin.
Topics: Blue Cheese, Appetizers, blue-veined cheese, Stella, Salemville, manchego cheese, roquefort cheese, goat's milk, breads, snacks, Brie Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, goat cheese (chevre), gorgonzola cheese, Snacking Cheese, stilton cheese, Cow’s Milk, sheep's milk
Cooking with Blue Cheese: Go Bold with Mold
Blue cheese is a bit of a scientific marvel. It transforms mold—the enemy of most cheeses—into an integral ally, resulting in a unique blend of smell, texture and taste sensations. Blue (or bleu) cheeses, along with other “stinky cheeses,” may have a polarizing reputation, but their popularity has increased steadily in recent years.
Topics: Blue Cheese, Main Dishes, Appetizers, bleu cheese, blue-veined cheese, mold, Side Dishes, Stella, Salemville