While making a cheese steak today I got to wondering if American Cheese really originated in America.
Who do you think of when you think about American Cheese?
I think of Kraft which happens to be the man, not just the company that invented it in 1916. There were some slightly older variations however.
That it goes with nothing other than cheeseburgers and grilled cheese sandwiches, but it is the only cheese for those magnificent culinary creations, all others suck.
I’m talking to you Blue, Stilton, Swiss, Mozz, etc.
Pretty great with egg sandwiches and omelets too, again foods that all other suck as well.
agree
Cows.
I’m amazed to find that particular foodstuff is actually based on Cheddar. I thought it was some kind of artificial wibbly substance created in a lab.
That said, nothing can beat it on a cheeseburger, in a meatball sub, or in a microwaved bagel.
Good lord, I have a sack of “everything” Krueggar bagels in there, and a stack of sweet Amercian Cheese. 
Having grown up always purchasing delicious White American Cheese fresh sliced at the deli, it saddens me that so many people think American Cheese = Kraft American Cheese individually wrapped slices of processed orange wibly goo.
Purchase some freshly sliced American Cheese (White not Yellow) from a corner deli sometime. It’s a different animal altogether.
Yes, once again we must fight the ignorance on American chesse.
Most people think of American cheese and think Kraft singles, but real American cheese is basically just mild cheddar (though it is processed, but only because it’s a mix of cheeses. It doesn’t have to have anything artificial in it.) Of course, why anyone would want mild cheddar is beyond me. Make it so sharp it cuts my tongue, thank you.
The wikipedia articles on pasturized cheese and American cheese explain things furher.
One of the things I am proudest of as a father is making sure my children grew up having REAL American cheese on their burgers and grilled sandwiches, not the gooey Kraft singles.
They are adults now, and they know the difference. My work here is done.
Funny, when I think of American Cheese I think of freshly sliced cheese. We call wrapped slices, wrapped slices. I never even thought of that as American Cheese. My dog won’t even eat it.
I guess American Cheese is only called that in the U.S., right? If I was in Canada, what would I ask for?
No freaking ugly plastic American pseudocheese is getting anywhere close to my burger or egg! Sharp cheddar all the way.
I hate the way that stuff smells when you heat it. Like unwashed feet. I hate the way the outside surface bubbles up like a skin and then blackens (and then really smells).
When I was a young kid that was what “cheese” was to me. (For some reason everyone thought kids would like that but not any other cheeses). So I grew up thinking cheese was awful stuff.
It’s embarrassing to have that crap designated as the cheese of one’s nation, let me tell you. Why didn’t we embrace, oh I dunno, hoop cheese, or monterey jack, as THE American cheese?
American cheese does not have enough flavor to justify opening the package. May as well eat plastic.
But I like Kraft slices. They’re cheap (in comparison to deli slices, anyway). Granted, I love the fresh-sliced stuff better, but Kraft is so much better than any of the REALLY horrid plastic cheeses out there - just try the Albertsons, Wal-Mart, or Kroger house cheeses sometime. They’re inedible.
When I get rich and famous, I’ll splurge on good cheese, but for now, Kraft will do. 
~Tasha
little kids love the cheese slices. All the China bambinas were chowing down from about 12 months. We have real cheese in the house, but they turn their little noses up at the good. I’m hoping this phase lasts for a while before I have to share.
My family took a vacation to Cancun, Mexico when I was ten. I ordered a cheeseburger and to my surprise they put swiss cheese on the burger…I was not pleased. :mad:
Once upon a time this question was in General Questions. But due to an overwhelming number of posters who just want to opine on cheese without contributing to answering the OP, I’ve moved this one to Cafe Society.
samclem GQ moderator
Ode to all that is Velveeta - hash brown potatos, omelets, grilled cheese sandwiches - and chili-cheese chip dip. Keep a brick around, for homeland security purposes if nothing else. 'Twould be worth its weight in gold.
I’ve got to stop reading before coffee. I thought you said something else.