The Anti-Cheddar Cheese Thread

tplyons · #1 10-15-2008, 07:24 AM

What is it with people putting cheddar on EVERYTHING?!

It's like people think that the only two cheeses in existence are cheddar and American.

Even worse: shredded cheddar, out of the package, does it really need to be sprinkled on everything that comes out of the kitchen?

TheDarkReaver · #2 10-15-2008, 07:28 AM

Blergh, I hate all cheese!

Mark Latimour · #3 10-15-2008, 07:33 AM

American isn't a type of cheese.

Matt_W · #4 10-15-2008, 07:58 AM

I have a lot of time for Strong Cheddar cheese, but there are far more interesting cheeses out there; Wensleydale with cranberries, for one.

I have also recently discovered the joy of baked Camembert with garlic cloves in it. It is fantastic with a crusty baguette and some hot kabanos. Drool.

StanFan · #5 10-15-2008, 08:10 AM

What's American cheese? I've heard of it but never had it. Is it another name for mozzarella??

**line6man** · #6 10-15-2008, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StanFan

What's American cheese? I've heard of it but never had it. Is it another name for mozzarella??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_cheese

spade2you · #7 10-15-2008, 08:15 AM

"American" cheese is basically the Bud Light of cheese. Still, there are plenty of gourmet cheeses available that are made here. Mosaic's gouda is pretty killer. Just sampled Boar's Head glucochester and smoked buttercase. Nice.

StanFan · #8 10-15-2008, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by line6man

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_cheese

I don't even consider that cheese at all.

René_Julien · #9 10-15-2008, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StanFan

What's American cheese? I've heard of it but never had it. Is it another name for mozzarella??

Thanks, I spewed out my cola over my desk. lol

**line6man** · #10 10-15-2008, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StanFan

I don't even consider that cheese at all.

how about that stuff that comes with macaroni and cheese...
i dont know what that stuff is, but its definatly not cheese

Asa Samuel · #11 10-15-2008, 08:36 AM

Hey mark, you should make a "cheese club" thread, so long as i could be #1 of course, or at least #2

**peabody** · #12 10-15-2008, 08:45 AM

Being from America's Dairyland (no, not California), it is my feeling cheese should be put on just about everything.

The only thing I can't figure out is what the hell cottage cheese is. It is not cheese...it doesn't look like cheese, it doesn't smell like cheese and it doesn't taste like cheese....in fact, just looking at it makes me nauseous.

On the other hand, batter fried cheese curds are God's gift to humanity....

Cholesterol level be damned.....

JNowiski · #13 10-15-2008, 08:46 AM

this thread is too political...i'm closing it.

...if i was a mod that might be what i'd say.

Bruce Lindfield · #14 10-15-2008, 08:51 AM

I posted this in the iPod thread the other day - written by an American woman :

What is American Cheese?
by Kate Hopkins

Ahh.. A question that lies on our tongues quite often. Too often, some might say.

American Cheese is not cheese, at least in the traditional 'Separate curds from whey and then pack the curds' cheese-making process that, y'know, actually makes real cheese. That's not to say that there isn't real cheese in American cheese. There is. But the cheese is also processed with emulsifiers, preservatives (sometimes something as simple as salt, other times with various chemical compounds) and often food coloring. These additives are what make defining American Cheese so difficult.

You see, each type of cheese out there is based off of a well defined enzyme that gives it a particular taste. That's one of the items that makes the difference between a Gruyere and an Edam (another items is the process in which enzymes and bacteria are introduced to the cheese, but that's a different post). Whether you take bite of an high quality Edam or one of mediocre quality, you should still be able to say "This is an Edam Cheese".

American Cheese is not really based off of taste as much as texture. American Cheese holds together very well and melts into a gooey blancmange. It's why we tend to use the cheese on burgers and other heated sandwiches: because it adds a gooey texture to the sandwich that we find palatable. The taste? Meh. We Americans don't care how the cheese tastes so much as long as it gives us a good mouth feel. That's why Kraft has a multi-million dollar cheese product line, instead of being a laughing stock of cheese-eaters everywhere.

Some American Cheese "makers" add so many items to their American Cheeses that they can no longer call it "Cheese". In its place we get items like Cheeze Whiz and Velveeta. These products are sold as "cheese food", "cheese spread", or "cheese product", depending primarily on the amount of cheese, moisture, and milk fat present in the final product.

So, rather than ask "What is American Cheese?", one would get a quicker answer from the missive "What isn't American Cheese?" to which one would reply "It isn't cheese". It is, however, a non-standardized cheese-variant popular more for its texture than taste.

Oh, and it's orange, only because we Americans think cheese should be orange. But that's another story for later.
__________________

Philbiker · #15 10-15-2008, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by line6man

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_cheese

"American" chese is fantastic for sandwiches like cheezburgers and ham & cheese samiches. Recommended "Kraft Deli Deluxe" brand or equivalent; or deli sliced American cheese. The individually wrapped crap like that in the picture on wiki is awful.

Back to the OT - Cheddar cheese is fantastic on pretty much anything. Best I've ever had is the Cheddar-like Colby Cheese from Crowley in Vermont.

WalterBush · #16 10-15-2008, 08:55 AM

It's the single most popular cheese in the world, man!!!

I don't know what the obsession with cheddar is, either, unless the person sprinkling the cheese just doesn't know better. The extra sharp varieties are alright with apples, I suppose. I'm still trying to figure out why certain restaurant chains insist on asking if I want to dump cheddar on an otherwise perfectly good bowl of chili, or why my wife wants to replicate the revolting process at home.

Go Stilton.

Mark Latimour · #17 10-15-2008, 08:56 AM

I knew Lindquist would come through with the goods.

Bruce Lindfield · #18 10-15-2008, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WalterBush

It's the single most popular cheese in the world, man!!!

I don't know what the obsession with cheddar is, either, unless the person sprinkling the cheese just doesn't know better. The extra sharp varieties are alright with apples, I suppose. I'm still trying to figure out why certain restaurant chains insist on asking if I want to dump cheddar on an otherwise perfectly good bowl of chili, or why my wife wants to replicate the revolting process at home.

Well actually - the idea of putting grated cheese on top of things like this comes from Italy where they would use grated Parmesan or Greece where you would get chunks of Feta in Salad.

People are just using the wrong cheese and missing the point - Cheddar is just ubiquitous and therefore easy - but entirely inappropriate!

René_Julien · #19 10-15-2008, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WalterBush

It's the single most popular cheese in the world, man!!!

Well, the Netherlands, France and Belgium are countries that have a lot of different cheese to offer. A wide variety and a big history.
And over here cheddar is not at all popular.

Your statement can be true if it is popular in the rest of the world.

SuperDuck · #20 10-15-2008, 09:00 AM

I'll have no part in any cheddar bashing. Cheddar makes most meals better! Sure, there are other cheeses out there, but some of them might be too far on the extremes of sharpness, etc., to be as ubiquitous as cheddar.

I don't care about the semantics of American Cheese, but it sure as heck tastes good on a grilled cheese sammich.

Similarly, I love me some Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Tasty and affordable!