I think you are likely getting American cheese that looks like Kraft Singles. The stuff they serve at McDonalds is American cheese. It definitely tastes better than Kraft singles. It’s true that American cheese doesn’t have a sharp flavor like cheddar, but it has as much flavor Meunster and Mozzerella, and cheese snobs don’t complain about them.
I love American cheese, but I can’t stand Kraft singles.
I don’t care for the taste of American (that is not a put down, just a statement of preference), but I understand why it is used on things like grilled cheese and cheeseburgers. Most cheeses tend to have oil separate out when it melts. American just sort of turns to goo. I am not sure why this is. It could be all processed cheeses or just heavily processed cheese foods that behave that way.
Jonathan
Leaving aside the melting question, I like it because it doesn’t overpower the meat. Many people put blue cheese on their steaks. Now, I like blue cheese. Roquefort, gorgonzola, Stilton… It’s all good, and I’ll eat it plain. But for me, I find it too strong for the meat. (I also don’t use steak sauce, mushrooms, or anything else – unless I’m making steak au poivre – just salt or garlic salt and pepper.) So it is with burgers. Cheddar, Swiss, pepperjack, and provolone are good. But I prefer American because it doesn’t get in the way of the meat.
I used to buy “rat cheese” at the Town Hill Market on Mount Desert Island, Maine, back in the 1980s. Also called “store cheese.” Very sharp white American cheddar, stored under a glass dome, cut to order. Alas, the Market now sells organic wines and veggie wraps instead.
Here, here!!
“Yellow sauce”.
Yeah, the garbage. <gag>
Real cheese should come fresh-sliced from a brick or wheel.
Gimme Tillamook cheeses - the sharp cheddar reserve is divine to nibble on, but the best grilled cheese sammich/cooking cheese is their medium cheddar.
I guess you’re right. Multiple creameries winning many, MANY world food awards doesn’t mean anything. It seems cheddar can only come from…Wisconsin, I’m guessing?
One of us is likely being whooshed. I’m guessing he’s referring to Cheddar being named after its city of origin in England, though if that’s the case, it doesn’t have a protected designation of origin, so it actually wouldn’t be an oxymoron.
I’ll eat anything splorked. It sounds too fun not to!
Would you eat splorked pork with a spork?
Heaven forbid. I am one who delights in all manifestations of the sploksorean muse.
I would not eat splorked sporked pork with Mork, I will not eat splorked sporked pork with Bjork
I will not eat splorked sporked pork at work I will not eat splorked sporked pork in New York.
I think I’ve gone too far.
Would you eat splorked pork with Michael York?
Would you eat splorked pork with a stork?
I guess mistaking American Cheese for Kraft Singles sort of begs the question - are they really that different, then?
My aunt introduced to me a Japanese treat for New Years. It was broiled mochi with Kraft singles and nori wrapped around. She was extremely enthusiastic and I was kind of excited about it.
It was pretty mediocre.
You’re right, it’s not protected, so even in the UK, it’s made everywhere (as well as at Cheddar), however, there are processes (called ‘Cheddaring’) that are a necessary step in the manufacture of Cheddar.
As regards the OP. Who cares about a legal definition? All that matters is whether the product is edible, and if edible, nice.
Absolutely not. The best cheese I have ever tasted in my life was aged Vermont cheddar from Sugarbush Farm. Bear in mind I’m English and have eaten aged cheddar from the original Cheddar in Somerset. The Vermont stuff kicks its arse. (Goes off to see if Subarbush ships to the UK.)
Yes.
American cheese, which is a pasteurised processed cheese, is 100% cheese. Even if it comes from Kraft.
Kraft Singles isn’t. It’s is a ‘Pasteurized process cheese product’, and thus by definition is less than 51% cheese.
I seem to recall an interim category, something about “cheese food.” Can’t recall what the threshold for that category is.