Cheese

[debbie9025]

I know that there is probably a topic out here on this but could not find it. Anyway I recently have changed suppliers due to cost prices. I thought that by getting a Wisconsin Cheese “Vant.D’ORO”, would be good. I did get a sample of the other “Vant” cheese but found it had just a little more butter fat than desired, so they suggested the “D’ORO” said had little less butter fat. But after purchasing 3 cases of 2-3%, & 1 - 2%, when I make my pizzas hate to say it but the cheese kinda resembles cheese curds on the pizza after melting. I use a blend of 2 whole milk to 1 part skim. The cost of it is good, not cheap but compairable. My question is does anyone out here use “Grande” cheese or any of the other cheese listed: Bellissimo - Saputo - Sorrento. Im looking for a good melting cheese that does not resemble cheese curds “YUCK”. My old suppliers cheese was their brand label, was a very good melting cheese.

 

[Daddio]

This is what I did when I was looking for the ultimate cheese for my pizza. Contact the suppliers in you area and ask them to provide you with samples of all the cheeses that your are interested in. Do a test pizza with each of the cheeses. This will give you a good idea as to how the cheese will cook in your oven (not all ovens cook the same). To ask us if one cheese is better than another is like asking who the best ball team is. It is all a matter of how you look at it. What works for me may very well be a disaster for you. Like I said get samples and try them all to find the best.

 

[debbie9025]

Well I agree with you, but trying to get many differnet samples of cheese from a new supplier maybe easy, but when I have already ran out of my supply from my old supplier, I hope I dont loose customers from this trying to get the right cheese, in the mean time I have to use something and by using all these samples will not keep my prep table stocked so I guess, I have heard alot about “Grande”(expensive) so I will order a case of each 3% & 2% of these until I can figure out what other cheese is best.

 

[system]

Debbie I am with Daddio on the samples. Even though you are running low on cheese…call the distributors that you use and some that you do not on Monday morning. Explain your urgent need for samples because you are low and looking too change. Any good sales rep will be on your doorstep Monday night with cases of samples and not just a bag or brick. Then let your customers help in the decision process. Get firsthand advice from the ones that eat it. Call up and offer a free pizza to your 10 best customers if they agree to give you 10 minutes of feedback after they eat it. Back to the dist…make your rep earn your business. A lot of them get stuck in repeat orders and get their commision and never look back…but they need to service their accounts and not just silently raise prices until you notice! :!:

 

[debbie9025]

Mike, thanks for that I will, good idea. My new supplier is not commission, thank god, that was one reason I switched.

 

[system]

Debbie still keep an eye on things. Commission or not they still have the same pressure to keep sales up and costs down. Either by pushing higher margin items or tapping the prices up in little increments that you tend not too question until you realize those few pennies a pound has added up too 20% over the last 3 months. Like many here say and do…keep them legit and on their toes by having more than one to keep your options open and to keep them pricing against each other. Again, EARN your business instead of you earning theirs! :!:

 

[debbie9025]

Mike, yeah I know, after telling my last supplier last week I was going to try another, he came in and said oh guess what our cheese dropped to 2.01lb & flour down to 17.89 a bag, WHAT A SUPRISE. I told him let me try the samples I got in from the other guy & I would call him next week. I also called my current new supplier a few hours ago he called my asap, & said he would be up first thing Monday morning with new cheese, I told him I was just not impressed with the Vantagio cheese & that I wanted him to bring me “Grande” to try, I know its a bit more expensive but until I can figure something out with the cheese, I feel strongly “Grande” can not let me down with quality. I have just been stressed out the last few days with this crap cheese, I really hope customers dont leave because of it. Thanks guys for the advise. Truely appreciated

 

[debbie9025]

Oh yeah difference, just tried the Grande cheese vs Vantagio cheese. The Vantagio cheese seems to taste grainy not much flavor, Grande has a better flavor over all, not much of a difference in price Grande $2.47lb, Vantagio 2.23lb, may just stick with Grande for now till I figure something else out. Also just put a little pile of cheese of a piece of foil & melted in oven, you can actually see the difference in melting as well, Grande melted more together, were as the Vantagio melted with alot of bubbles and seperated.

 

[NicksPizza]

You may also be running into a cheese age issue. Even the best of cheeses will oil out and curdle after it gets too old. Check the manufacture dates on the cheeses as you get them. 45 days after manufacture seems to be the date I recall being red flag time. Others may correct me on this one. Manage the age of your product, no matter what brand you end up with.