Changed my mind about pre-shredded cheese after stopping at that little market in Sonoma

Visited a cheese shop in Sonoma last weekend and watched a guy hand-shred blocks of Parm for a customer. Now I get why folks say the pre-shredded stuff has that weird coating.

3 comments

3 Comments

morgan_martinez9d ago

Watching that guy shred actual blocks of Parm in front of you changes everything. The pre-shredded stuff literally has cellulose powder or potato starch sprayed on it to stop clumping, which is totally different from fresh shreds. Once you see someone hand-shredding cheese with a real grater, the bagged stuff just looks like a science experiment. Plus that weird coating makes the cheese not melt as smooth, it gets all clumpy or grainy in sauces. Once you taste that fresh shred melt into something, you just cant go back to the bagged stuff without noticing the difference. Not trying to be a snob but once you see it done right, the cheap bags just kinda lose their appeal.

burns.jenny8d ago

I once watched a guy in Rome grate pecorino onto his pasta with what looked like a rusty hand tool and I swear I nearly cried because it was that good. The bagged stuff never stood a chance after that.

wells.olivia9d ago

Pre-shredded cheese getting a weird coating is blown way out of proportion. Most people can't tell the difference once it's melted on a taco or in a casserole. It's convenient and works fine for everyday cooking.