Tesco Everyday Value Italian Style Hard Cheese - good Parmesan substitute

quaalude

Just an informational post for those who avoid cheese made with animal rennet:

The Tesco Everyday Value Italian Style Hard Cheese they've been stocking lately is suitable for vegetarians and makes a nice (cheap!) Parmesan substitute - link here: http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=276091819

They have it in Sandymount Tesco, and others I'm sure.

quaalude

Oops - I meant to post this in the Vegan & Vegetarian forum - mods, can you move it please?
Cheers.

Dizzyblonde

quaalude wrote: »

Oops - I meant to post this in the Vegan & Vegetarian forum - mods, can you move it please?
Cheers.

Done

HelenT

I have gotten it quite a bit over the past few months. It is a great substitute for parmesan. My only problem with it, is the fact that it has to be used within either 3 or 5 days of being opened. I always end up throwing away over half of it. I hate waste!

loveisdivine

HelenT wrote: »

I have gotten it quite a bit over the past few months. It is a great substitute for parmesan. My only problem with it, is the fact that it has to be used within either 3 or 5 days of being opened. I always end up throwing away over half of it. I hate waste!

Has it actually gone off when you throw it out? We often have our "parmesan" open for a few weeks and we've never noticed any difference in taste and its certainly not made us ill.

quaalude

HelenT wrote: »

I have gotten it quite a bit over the past few months. It is a great substitute for parmesan. My only problem with it, is the fact that it has to be used within either 3 or 5 days of being opened. I always end up throwing away over half of it. I hate waste!

I don't take too much notice of those directions on labels. If it smells OK, and the texture is OK, I'll continue to eat it. I've had my packet of this cheese open for at least 2 weeks.
However, if I was worried about it going off, I would open the packet, use the amount I needed, cut the rest into 25g pieces, put the chunks in a little freezer bag, freeze them, then use them as needed.
(I *never* throw anything away. I've been known to freeze half a can of the Tesco Value kidney beans - they might only be 19c but that's no reason to be wasteful!)

chinacup

quaalude wrote: »

I don't take too much notice of those directions on labels. If it smells OK, and the texture is OK, I'll continue to eat it. I've had my packet of this cheese open for at least 2 weeks.
However, if I was worried about it going off, I would open the packet, use the amount I needed, cut the rest into 25g pieces, put the chunks in a little freezer bag, freeze them, then use them as needed.
(I *never* throw anything away. I've been known to freeze half a can of the Tesco Value kidney beans - they might only be 19c but that's no reason to be wasteful!)

I hope you don't freeze them in the tin! :0 food poisoning alert!

quaalude

arf91 wrote: »

I hope you don't freeze them in the tin! :0 food poisoning alert!

Nope - empty into a little freezer bag!
I have a healthy fear instilled from a young age of not leaving contents in an open tin (although I'm not exactly sure why)!

the beer revolu

quaalude wrote: »

Nope - empty into a little freezer bag!
I have a healthy fear instilled from a young age of not leaving contents in an open tin (although I'm not exactly sure why)!

Modern tins are lined now so no problem. I think the food could react with the metal in the presence of oxygen with the old tins.

chinacup

the beer revolu wrote: »

Modern tins are lined now so no problem. I think the food could react with the metal in the presence of oxygen with the old tins.

Even the 45c ones in Aldi?! Because they have a distinct tin flavour! When foods are stored in an open can, tin and iron will dissolve from the can walls and the food may develop a metallic taste (although they often do already). Food containing high concentrations of tin can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, abdominal bloating, fever or headache. Not so pretty! Don't think its likely to cause death but I wouldn't be taking a risk either way.

chinacup

quaalude wrote: »

Just an informational post for those who avoid cheese made with animal rennet:

The Tesco Everyday Value Italian Style Hard Cheese they've been stocking lately is suitable for vegetarians and makes a nice (cheap!) Parmesan substitute - link here: http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=276091819

They have it in Sandymount Tesco, and others I'm sure.

On a lighter note, tried this last night with a cauliflower bake and it was delicious! Yay, thanks for the heads up

quaalude

I made a pasta dish with it last night - a daycent 20-minute-to-table job. Serves 2.

150g pasta
4 quorn sausages
1 medium courgette
200g mushrooms
2 tablespoons creme fraiche
30g Tesco Everyday Value Italian Style Hard Cheese

- Cook the sausages as usual. Make the rest of the dish as they're cooking
- Put the pasta on to cook
- Slice thinly the mushroom and courgette, fry in a little oil, season really well
- When vegetables are just cooked, add creme frache, grated cheese and splash of water. Stir well
- When the sausages are done, slice them thinly an add to the sauce. Leave til pasta is done.
- Serve

Tuschinsky

Is this still available? They used to have it in Sandymount but I haven't seen it the in weeks and haven't seen it anywhere else at all.

quaalude

Tuschinsky wrote: »

Is this still available? They used to have it in Sandymount but I haven't seen it the in weeks and haven't seen it anywhere else at all.

I'll look in Upper Baggot St on my way home, see if it's there.

Tuschinsky

Thanks very much. I fear from Google it's been discontinued.

quaalude

quaalude wrote: »

I'll look in Upper Baggot St on my way home, see if it's there.

It's not in Upper Baggot St either - bah.

Locomotion

Tuschinsky wrote: »

Thanks very much. I fear from Google it's been discontinued.

REALLY REALLY hope that isn't the case cos this stuff is awesome. I use it almost every day.

The only place I've ever found it is in the big Tesco in the Jervis Centre. Got a few wedges of it last week