Provoleta

A whole cow's milk cheese with semi-hard texture, Provoleta is an Argentinean variant of Provolone cheese, usually served as an appetizer or barbecued in its home country and Uruguay as well. Natalio Alba is said to have invented this cheese after he sensed Italian-Argentinean food habits which required a cheese accompaniment with a roast. The cheese was first made in 1940 with great efforts as it called for a produce that should not melt while grilling yet the inside should be melted a little. However, it was trademarked in 1963.

It is a South American tradition to eat a small disc of Provoleta with asado before having the grilled meat. But given that it is so tasty, it could work as a beautiful starter with any al fresco meal. It tends to keep its shape and develops a nice smokey flavour when grilled. The cheese is seasoned with a popular mix of spices and herb oil called Chimichurri and is generally served with toasted or crusty bread. It is best had with a Argentinean wine such as Malbec.