A lot of people look down their noses at processed American cheese, but deep down inside, a lot of us see it as a combination of comfort food and convenience food. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could make it at home?
The process of making your own doesn't look too difficult, with directions from Yvonne Ruperti at America's Test Kitchen. Link -via the Presurfer
But what exactly is American cheese? I suppose it’s that exact question that gives it such a bad rap. The American cheese that you find on supermarket shelves isn’t cheese made in the traditional way (milk that’s formed into curds and pressed). Instead, it’s either a blend of cheese and additives, or it’s a highly processed mixture of ingredients such as water, milk, milkfat, milk protein, whey, food coloring, flavorings, and emulsifiers. I wanted to get as close as possible to the taste and texture of American cheese using only pantry ingredients and a food processor.
By making your own American cheese, not only will you know exactly what went into it, but also you can add in flavorings such as black pepper, roasted red peppers… you name it. As I concocted my version of American cheese in the test kitchen, not only did I draw a crowd of curious onlookers, I caused all of the snooty foodies to run for the hills. That’s okay, because I’d take any kind of American cheese over head cheese any day.
The process of making your own doesn't look too difficult, with directions from Yvonne Ruperti at America's Test Kitchen. Link -via the Presurfer
I remember going to my friend's house when I was very young and we'd sometimes eat sandwiches made with American cheese, Mac & "Cheese," and various other cheese-type food approximations. Being the polite kid I was, I really, really had to suppress my gag reflex just to be able to finish what was given to me.
I'm pretty sure you'd have to be raised on the stuff to find it enjoyable, let alone preferable. Just sayin'.
I'm something of a foodie and I love cheese, but of all the cheeses I've tasted (and loved), nothing is as good as classic American cheese. And nothing melts like American cheese, which is why it is and always will be the best option for cheeseburgers and grilled cheese sandwiches.
It's beyond disgusting.
Some days Huntsman and Cynar are just way too much. You just want a grilled cheese and a Coke instead.
Oh simmer down. American cheese isn't that bad, that's just naked snobbery. I worked in a very expensive cheese shop and heard that kind of inane nonsense all the time. Then the schmuck who badmouthed American cheese would take a big sniff of some french cheese that smelled like a port-a-potty at the county fair and rave about it.
Apparently, for people of this ilk, the smell of raw dung is LESS revolting than a bland, largely inoffensive-tasting and smelling cheese.
The taste is weird and unlike any cheese I've ever tasted, but I suppose it's OK. It's the texture that makes you boak. It's like nothing you should put in your mouth.
The point is, however, that there was no snobbery involved in my reaction to the stuff. I didn't know what it was or how it had been made. It just made me boak. The end.
I had the same experience in Europe that you had here. My point is, I like the kitchen to smell like food not an outhouse on an asparagus farm. Had I been blindfolded and someone said, "here, eat this." I would have assumed some skulduggery was afoot. The End.
Now go get yourself a loaf of french bread, some nice blue cheese, fig jam and some wine and have yourself a delicious fine time!!
Those who, unashamedly, enjoy their low-brow and high-brow pleasures kick some serious ass. We win!
I don't know if I've ever had American cheese, but I've certainly eaten processed cheese, and it ain't nearly so bad as the snooty-snoots are making it out to be.
And what's this "boak" business? Are we just making up words as we go along, now?
Who knew it would cause such an uproar! SHEESH.
I grew up eating it and love it. I'm not too fond of velveeta, but I do love the sliced kind.
Best grilled cheese ever! Although cheddar is pretty darn yum on grilled cheese as well.
/American is my go-to cheeseburger cheese.
I'm just saying; everyone else calls this "Processed Cheese", "Sliced Cheese" or something like that, and "American Cheese" it is not, it was invented in Thun, Switzerland.
Someone has to say it...
Behold, the power of cheese.
Stange that people took so much offence at his comments. The way I read his post was to say that the problem with this processed cheese is not that it's necessarilly bad, but that it isn't actually cheese. I had a similar experience with milk. I was raised out in the country and the first time I tasted supermarket milk when visiting relatives I handed the glass back to my aunt because I thought there was something wrong with it. It simply wasn't what I thought of as milk. I got used to drinking it, but I still think of it as supermarket milk rather than milk. I remember my wife's reaction on tasting unpasterised milk, so it works both ways.
It's just like that reaction you get as a child the first time you taste lemonade. I remember handing a glass of lemonade to my son when he was small. You could tell from the look on his face that he had been expecting water and he got a totally different flavour and fizz too. He clearly did not like it. It wasn't long before it was his favourite drink.
I'm not saying that Pat above would end up thinking of "American Cheese" as his favourite cheese, but I'm sure he could get used to eating it if he tried it without expecting it to taste like farmhouse cheese.