S. Worthen | Weblog

Wandering through my often-disappointing local grocery store today, I was sorry to find they were out of grapes and the few remaining onions were sprouting. However, the cheese section was well-stocked with a variety of provolone, which reminded me of something.

When shopping at a Waitrose last month in London, they stocked no provolone at all. My U.S.-based recipe called for some, so I chose a replacement based on texture more than taste. On this side of the ocean, provolone, non-fresh mozzarella, and cheddar are the usual staple cheeses, available in variety even in stores with a good, well-stocked cheese counter. Waitrose was a peculiar grocery store from many angles, and taste in cheese varies substantially from country to country. Was Waitrose's complete lack of provolone symptomatic of the UK or the store?