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UnluckyNate t1_j5c1w1z wrote

I’m not seeing “American” anywhere on this list. What kind of cheese shop is this? /s

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ThunkAsDrinklePeep t1_j5cb3l2 wrote

"It's the finest in the district!"

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andrewdski t1_j5crb1c wrote

Explain the logic underlying that conclusion.

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ThunkAsDrinklePeep t1_j5croca wrote

"Well, it's so clean, sir"

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mikeumm t1_j5cswxz wrote

"Well it certainly is uncontaminated by any cheese, isn't it?"

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ThunkAsDrinklePeep t1_j5ctkyf wrote

"You haven't asked me about Limburger, sir"

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mikeumm t1_j5cvjgl wrote

"Is it worth it?"

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[deleted] t1_j5ccg0f wrote

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Runyc2000 t1_j5cylq3 wrote

American cheese is a processed cheese resulting from Cheddar cheese, Colby cheese, washed curd cheese, or granular cheese, or any mixture of two or more of these. The result is then formed into small sheets and individually wrapped called “singles”.

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[deleted] t1_j5d2lfx wrote

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Runyc2000 t1_j5d308q wrote

Yep. Yellow American cheese is just colored and seasoned, usually with annatto.

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AUniquePerspective t1_j5e9ie9 wrote

Is it made with any milk or just modified milk ingredients?

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Runyc2000 t1_j5e9un2 wrote

It is made from other cheeses that have already been formed. Traditional cheese is ground, combined with emulsifying agents and other ingredients, mixed and heated until it forms a "melted homogeneous" mixture. It is then formed and packaged.

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bobssteakhouse t1_j5d3rvj wrote

How about the processed white swiss cheese ?

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JoeFelice t1_j5diude wrote

I think we need to start with "What is cheese?" and then ask what is processed cheese.

Cheese is when you get the protein in milk to clump together and drain the water out. The clump is called a curd. The varieties of cheese come from adding things like salt, bacteria, extra fat, smoke, aging time, etc.

Processed cheese is when you take some real cheese and bulk it up with vegetable gums, milk powder, and other low-cost ingredients. That reduces the price but makes it more bland. It's not much better or worse in terms of nutrition. And crucially, the gum additives make the cheese melt evenly. Most hard cheeses leak oil when they melt. Most soft cheeses are too strongly flavored and too expensive.

The specific Swiss-style singles will depend on whatever that company decides to add in to get the price, flavor, and melt they want. Another company can use a different recipe and call it the same thing.

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