Starbucks 'Trenta': How The New Size Compares To Your Stomach
Famous Death Row Last Meals
Stop what you're doing. Kraft is about to revolutionize the cheese industry with - are you ready? - parmesan cheese that comes in a ready-to-grate block form.
Shocking, I know.
The product, called Kraft Grate-It-Fresh Natural Parmesan Cheese, was actually first introduced last year at the 2006 Food Marketing Institute (FMI) Supermarket Convention, and was available at some east coast distributors as of last November. Now, much to the chagrin of those who like their parmesan cheese to be fresh and not prepackaged, it is now nationally available.
The "natural" cheese block is packed inside a disposable, plastic grater that utilizes a "clockwise twisting motion [to keep] the cheese in place" until ready to use. Kraft is promoting it as the perfect way "to bring the restaurant experience home... without the hassle of pulling out your grater." It is aimed at those who are looking to shave off those three seconds it takes to get out your own grater (a kitchen gadget that is so inexpensive and so handy that even dorm-dwelling college students own them) and use it with a fresh chunk of parmesan.
Kate, the Accidental Hedonist, noted the same thing when she reviewed this product just after its initial introduction and was not a fan. Others, however, liked its convenience and child-friendly usability, so there appears to be a market for the product. In the long run, a cheese grater (nondisposable) will run you less than $10. You can buy the Grate-It-Fresh in a 7oz. size for $4.99 and you'll have to pay for that disposable grater every time - and you'll still have to have a regular cheese grater at home for other uses.
Jane Seymour's Modest And Modern Style
Broke Stars: 11 Celebrities Who Went Bankrupt
LOOK: Amazing Underwater Photos Of Dogs
Adele Five-Year Break? Singer Plans to Focus on Relationship, Write 'Happy Record'
Social Security Is Failing Even Faster Than We Thought
PHOTOS: How You Can Get The 'Miracle' Dress
Man Says Starbucks Discriminated Against Him Because He Has Half An Arm
Chris Brown, Grammys 2012: Embattled Singer Slams Critics
Janice Dickinson's Outrageous Style
Ford's clever Sports Illustrated Swimsuit ad features phantom model
3 Economic Misconceptions That Need to Die
Photos Of Dead Lacrosse Player's Injured Body Shown To Jury
Trace Adkins Reunites With College Crush, 30 Years Later
Van Gogh's Starry Night modded into beautiful interactive light and sound show (video)
PHOTOS: Model Falls At Dennis Basso Show
'Hooker Teacher' Forced To Resign, Now Can't Find Work
Lauren Scruggs Goes On Ski Vacation
WATCH AND LAUGH: Cops In 2-Hour Standoff With Empty Car
New Clues, Details Emerge In Powell Case
Woman's Dead Fiance Is Behind Her Disappearance: Cops
Stephen Wiltshire Draws Cities From Memory
PHOTOS: Remembering The People's Ballerina
We Meant There WERE Nukes In The Fire
2-21-2007 @7:15PM Mary Sue said... Shoot, my box grater cost me 2.37 at the local Asian grocery more than ten years ago, and is still going strong.
Reply
2-21-2007 @7:41PM Ford said... Trader Joe's was selling this last year (the grater was identical) but I haven't seen it at my local store at all this year.
Reply
2-21-2007 @8:12PM s said... do you read slashfood? http://www.slashfood.com/2006/11/30/new-kraft-parmesan-comes-inside-its-own-grater-too-bad/
Reply
2-21-2007 @9:37PM KatyBelle said... Over a year ago I bought basically the exact same thing at my local European market. I'd asked the owner and she said they've been bringing them in on and off for a long time now, from Germany.
Kraft is highly original
Ps. The one I bought actually had pretty good parm inside. MUCH better than pre-grated, and a lot tidier than doing it yourself.
Reply
2-25-2007 @2:31PM b said... Grana Padano from Gria Gratta out of Italy has been doing this for ages (I've been buying it at HEB--San Antonio area--for at least a year). What I love about it is that you don't touch the cheese when grating it (every time you touch bare cheese you contaminate it and it gets moldy).
Reply
2-22-2007 @7:18AM LordJezo said... I tried this out at my parents house back when it first came out..
Compared to a manual grater and your own block of cheese, this stuff stinks.
Heck, compared to the premium pre grated stuff that comes in those little plastic boxes in the supermarket, this stuff stinks.
Stay away from Kraft, get yourself some better stuff, it's worth the price difference.
Reply
2-22-2007 @7:29AM Alex N said... We live on the east coast of Florida and these came out last year. They work great, the cheese is pretty good and it's real convienant.
Unless you are having a black tie affair, or you must have a fancy "Lucatelle" then this is much better than the old already grated Parm Cheese.
2 thumbs up to Kraft for thinking outside of the box or can!!!!
Reply
2-22-2007 @10:19AM Rob said... Not arguing the quality of Kraft cheese, but you are also saving the time/resource of washing the grater every time you use it.
Reply
2-22-2007 @10:52AM calamari said... You mean the 20 minutes of picking cheese out of the grater, Rob, only to discover, next time you get it out, that there are still dried cheese bits on it, so you have to wash it again before grating your tiny bit of cheese to go on your pasta?
We no longer own a grater because no one wanted to deal with cleaning it, so no one used it. Fairly decent parmesans and romanos come pre-grated in the deli section of the supermarket. Other than carrots for carrot cake (which you can shred in the food processor) and chocolate for cake decor (which you can do with a potato peeler), what really needs to be grated?
Reply
2-22-2007 @11:04AM Michael said... I wonder if the Kraft grater can be taken apart and reused. This would make it cheaper in the long run if it can be reloaded with another block of cheese.
Reply
2-22-2007 @11:16AM MichaelLC said... I bought this in Chicago. Cheese is OK, grater was crap. Locked up on me after two-three twists. I gave up, removed the cheese, and now using my Microplane.
Reply
2-22-2007 @11:20AM MichaelC said... Reply to "Michael":
You could resuse, but there's a hole drilled through the cheese to keep it from slding around. So is possible, but immpratical. Could be a shaker, though.
Reply
2-22-2007 @11:51AM K said... The reason not to buy this product is because the product tastes like crap. I have to argue a bit about the grater, however.
Using the theory put forth -- that this is a waste of time because you already have a microplane or box grater in the house -- means that pretty much you think *any* time saving packaging is a waste of time and money (which some will argue is always the case).
I didn't buy Kraft's grate it fresh, but I *did* buy a romano block in a grate in fresh set up, from Trader Joe's. Yea, a bit pricier. But for that, it stays in its own container, a few quick twists and it's finely grated on my salad or entree, and back into the fridge it goes.
I live alone and I don't want to haul out the grater and make a pile of cheese every time I want just a bit. And I don't like washing it. Call me lazy if you will. It also goes with me to the office on pot luck day. Okay, so it's a bit frivolous. There are lot worse deals than this. Try a box of 100 calorie pack cheetos or something -- you pay a big premium for having them divide it up for you into six little one portion pouches. Do you ever buy portioned food? IF you do, you're going against your own theory, here. Just get some baggies and weigh each portion and bag it up.
Ever buy cling film or aluminum foil? You do? Well better just to buy a loose roll and haul out your scissors every time and cut off a piece. I mean, why do they bother putting a cutter across every box, when the last box had one? Just insert a refill roll, right? That's not a great analogy because there is no price comparison, but you get my point.
We take shortcuts in the kitchen with everything. Salads in a bag. Vegetables. Fruits. Hell, even Bread.
Why buy a loaf of sliced bread when you can open your drawer and pull out a knife and slice it yourself?
Because we like gadgets, saving time,and "anything new."
Kraft doesn't make good cheese, but if they want to package a grate it fresh version, let them. If we don't want it, we won't buy it.
Reply
2-22-2007 @11:53AM K said... And poster #3, S, gave me my first laugh of the day.
Reply
2-22-2007 @7:38PM Cheryl said... Bring out the Parm wedge from the fridge, bring out the microplane, grate grate grate, rinse off the microplane in cold water (no sticking). Done! 2 minutes!
Reply
2-23-2007 @2:48PM Mary said... I bought this for camping...it's great if you don't want to carry extra equipment & you don't have to cart home the remains if you don't want to. Other than that I agree with several other posters, there are better high quality cheeses you can buy & grate yourself. For those who don't like to clean the graters...Pampered Chef has a wonderful cheese grater with two separate barrels. It comes apart & goes right into the dishwasher.
Reply
2-23-2007 @10:16AM Sindy said... For family dinners, I just toss the microplane grater and block of cheese on the table. Everyone grates the amount of cheese that they want on their own food. The only convience I see is not having to wash it. I WOULD however buy a container/grater that I could load with my own favorite cheese and reuse.
http://to2sassy.blogspot.com/
Reply
2-23-2007 @12:57PM Adriane said... K- I think the point is it is just as easy to grate using a mircoplane (heck even a Zyliss, sp?) and the cheese you buy will be so far superior to Kraft.
To me the hang up seems to be that people are sacrificing quality for ease, or even laziness?
Reply
2-23-2007 @6:49PM cincodemayo1 said... I actually bought this exact product about a year ago at the 99¢ store. It cost me a buck (well 99¢) and it was great. It lasts a while, it's 10x better than the sawdust stuff, and it was a buck for a big stick of parm. But I figured this had came and went, so I'm glad to hear it's back!
I now buy the Trader Joe's version which costs a bit more (about $7) but it's still quite a large brick of parm. It's not the best parm you'll ever eat, but if the purpose of using it is to a) not mess up other utensils, and b) to top salads and pastas, this does the trick.
I'm a fan.
http://wwff.wordpress.com
Reply
2-24-2007 @2:20PM Matt Z said... I think this isn't that bad of an idea.
It's entirely possible to pop the "cap" off the tube half a wedge of the real stuff
Reply