# American cheese **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 3, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548 "2010-01-03T22:15:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/21 "2010-01-04T18:13:22Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > If I’m understanding correctly, you guys are saying that American cheese is _not_ Kraft Singles - it seems like if I order something in a restaurant that says it has American cheese on it\*, I’ll get something with Kraft Singles on it, though. I’m confused. > > \*Not likely - I hate it when people put that stuff on food instead of real cheese. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/22 "2010-01-04T18:47:13Z")
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 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/23 "2010-01-04T19:42:42Z")
> [@Strassia](#): > > I understand why it is used on things like… cheeseburgers. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/24 "2010-01-05T01:52:36Z")
I used to buy “rat cheese” at the [Town Hill Market](http://www.acadiamagic.com/town-hill-03.htm) 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. ---
**Author:** ![Loisseau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@Loisseau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loisseau)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/25 "2010-01-05T17:14:18Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > 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. Here, here!! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/26 "2010-01-05T17:25:23Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Singles start out as a liquid goo that is splorked onto plastic and allowed to gel. “Yellow sauce”. ---
**Author:** ![pythonzzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9e8a1a/32.png) [@pythonzzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pythonzzz)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/27 "2010-01-06T23:20:42Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > Kraft singles have their place. Jus’ sayin’. Yeah, the garbage. \ 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. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/28 "2010-01-07T02:09:25Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Oxymoron. 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? ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/29 "2010-01-07T04:44:39Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/30 "2010-01-07T05:02:49Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Singles start out as a liquid goo that is splorked onto plastic and allowed to gel. I won’t eat them. I’ll eat anything splorked. It sounds too fun not to! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/31 "2010-01-07T05:05:48Z")
Would you eat splorked pork with a spork? ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/32 "2010-01-07T06:12:20Z")
Heaven forbid. I am one who delights in all manifestations of the sploksorean muse. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/33 "2010-01-07T06:31:17Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Would you eat splorked pork with a spork? 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. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/34 "2010-01-07T06:48:28Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/35 "2010-01-07T08:57:38Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/36 "2010-01-07T11:45:16Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > 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. 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. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/37 "2010-01-07T12:09:44Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Oxymoron. 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.) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/38 "2010-01-07T16:07:14Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I guess mistaking American Cheese for Kraft Singles sort of begs the question - are they really that different, then? 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. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/39 "2010-01-07T17:31:12Z")
I seem to recall an interim category, something about “cheese food.” Can’t recall what the threshold for that category is. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548/40 "2010-01-07T17:37:37Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > I seem to recall an interim category, something about “cheese food.” Can’t recall what the threshold for that category is. If this [wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Processed_cheese) is correct, it’s: Cheese, Cheese Food, Cheese product, Cheese spread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-cheese/523548.md?page=3)