American cheese
Encyclopedia
American cheese is a processed cheese
. It is orange, yellow, or white in color and mild in flavor, with a medium-firm consistency, and melts easily. American cheese was originally only white, but is usually now modified to yellow. In the past it was made from a blend of cheeses, most often Colby
and Cheddar
. Today’s American cheese is generally no longer made from blended cheeses, but instead is manufactured from a set of ingredients such as milk, whey
, milkfat, milk protein concentrate, whey protein concentrate, and salt. In the United States and the United Kingdom, it may not be legally sold as "cheese
", and must be labeled as "processed cheese
", "cheese product", or similar--e.g., "cheese food"; it is commonly referred to as "plastic cheese" or "burger cheese" in the UK.
The marketing label "American cheese" for processed cheese combined with the prevalence of processed cheese in the U.S. compared to the rest of the world has led to the term American cheese being used in the U.S. synonymously in place of processed cheese. The term "American cheese" has a legal definition as a type of pasteurized
processed cheese under the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations
.
American cheese is used in American cuisine
, for example on cheeseburgers, in grilled cheese sandwiches, and in macaroni and cheese.
lists the total export of American cheese at 355 million pounds per year, with an expected growth to 1,420 million pounds.
Originally, the English considered American cheese inferior in quality; still, it was cheap, so it sold. This connotation of the term American cheese became entrenched in Europe.
"American cheese" continued to refer to American cheddar until the advent of processed cheese. Americans referred to their cheddar as "yellow cheese" or "store cheese", because of its popularity and availability. By the 1890s, once cheese factories had sprung up across the nation, American cheddar was also referred to as "factory cheese". And in the 1920s another slang term arose for the still popular cheese: "rattrap cheese", or "rat cheese".
The Oxford English Dictionary
defines American cheese as a "cheese of cheddar type, made in the U.S." and lists 1804 as the first known usage of "American cheese", occurring in the Frankfort, Kentucky
newspaper Guardian of Freedom. The next usage given is in 1860 by Charles Dickens
in his series The Uncommercial Traveller.
The public response to the ban was immediate and noticeable. Importers of British cheese claimed that it damaged morale in both countries, and represented a lack of solidarity in the war effort on the part of the USA. For these reasons and others, the ban was rescinded without opposition on August 1, 1942.
, products called "American cheese" are by no means identical. Depending on the additives and the amounts of milk fat and water added to the cheese during emulsification, the taste and texture of American cheese varies, with some varieties (e.g. "American cheese" and "American processed cheese") being very similar to non-processed cheese and other varieties (e.g. "American cheese food" and "American cheese product") being more like Velveeta
or Cheez Whiz
. The interested consumer should pay close attention to the wording used on the label of each product and to the ingredient list. (Refer to the definitions in the Sale and labeling section of the article on Processed cheese
.)
The taste and texture of different varieties of American cheese vary considerably, and mostly depend on the percentage of cheese versus additives used during emulsification. Varieties with lower percentages of additives tend to taste more like unprocessed cheese. Depending on the food manufacturer, the color of the cheese (orange, yellow, or white) may indicate different ingredients or processes. Some manufacturers reserve the white and yellow colors for their less processed (i.e. fewer additives) American cheese varieties. In other cases , the ingredients for white and orange colors are the same, except for the coloring. However, this does not necessarily mean that even these white and orange cheeses have exactly the same flavor and texture because the spice annatto
, which has a subtle but noticeable taste, is often used for coloring American Cheese.
The processed variety of American cheese is sold in three basic packaging varieties: individually wrapped cheese slices, small pre-sliced blocks of 8 to 36 slices, and large blocks meant for deli counters. The individually wrapped cheese slices are typically the most like unprocessed cheese. Small (e.g., 8- to 36-slice) blocks of pre-sliced, but not individually wrapped American cheese are also marketed, often with the branding "deluxe" or "old-fashioned". This variety of American cheese is similar in ingredients and texture to that of modern block American cheese. Before the advent of the individually wrapped variety, this was the typical variety that Americans purchased. Hence, some people refer to this as "classic" or "traditional" American cheese.
American cheese in block form sold at deli
counters is typically a less processed cheese than its individually wrapped cousin. Nonetheless, most block American cheese is still a processed cheese.
Processed cheese
Processed cheese, process cheese, cheese slice, prepared cheese, cheese singles or cheese food is a food product made from normal cheese and sometimes other unfermented dairy ingredients, plus emulsifiers, extra salt, food colorings, or whey...
. It is orange, yellow, or white in color and mild in flavor, with a medium-firm consistency, and melts easily. American cheese was originally only white, but is usually now modified to yellow. In the past it was made from a blend of cheeses, most often Colby
Colby cheese
-History:Joseph F. Steinwand in 1874 developed a new type of cheese at his father's cheese factory near Colby, Wisconsin. The cheese was named after the village, which had been founded three years earlier....
and Cheddar
Cheddar cheese
Cheddar cheese is a relatively hard, yellow to off-white, and sometimes sharp-tasting cheese, produced in several countries around the world. It has its origins in the English village of Cheddar in Somerset....
. Today’s American cheese is generally no longer made from blended cheeses, but instead is manufactured from a set of ingredients such as milk, whey
Whey
Whey or Milk Serum is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. It is a by-product of the manufacture of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Sweet whey is manufactured during the making of rennet types of hard cheese like cheddar or Swiss cheese...
, milkfat, milk protein concentrate, whey protein concentrate, and salt. In the United States and the United Kingdom, it may not be legally sold as "cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
", and must be labeled as "processed cheese
Processed cheese
Processed cheese, process cheese, cheese slice, prepared cheese, cheese singles or cheese food is a food product made from normal cheese and sometimes other unfermented dairy ingredients, plus emulsifiers, extra salt, food colorings, or whey...
", "cheese product", or similar--e.g., "cheese food"; it is commonly referred to as "plastic cheese" or "burger cheese" in the UK.
The marketing label "American cheese" for processed cheese combined with the prevalence of processed cheese in the U.S. compared to the rest of the world has led to the term American cheese being used in the U.S. synonymously in place of processed cheese. The term "American cheese" has a legal definition as a type of pasteurized
Pasteurization
Pasteurization is a process of heating a food, usually liquid, to a specific temperature for a definite length of time, and then cooling it immediately. This process slows microbial growth in food...
processed cheese under the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations
Code of Federal Regulations
The Code of Federal Regulations is the codification of the general and permanent rules and regulations published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government of the United States.The CFR is published by the Office of the Federal Register, an agency...
.
American cheese is used in American cuisine
Cuisine of the United States
American cuisine is a style of food preparation originating from the United States of America. European colonization of the Americas yielded the introduction of a number of ingredients and cooking styles to the latter...
, for example on cheeseburgers, in grilled cheese sandwiches, and in macaroni and cheese.
Origins
British colonists made cheddar as soon as they arrived in America. By 1790, American cheddars were being exported back to England. The British referred to American cheddar as "American cheese", or "Yankee cheese", and post-Revolution Americans promoted this usage to distinguish their product from European cheese. For example, an 1878 newspaper article in The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
lists the total export of American cheese at 355 million pounds per year, with an expected growth to 1,420 million pounds.
Originally, the English considered American cheese inferior in quality; still, it was cheap, so it sold. This connotation of the term American cheese became entrenched in Europe.
"American cheese" continued to refer to American cheddar until the advent of processed cheese. Americans referred to their cheddar as "yellow cheese" or "store cheese", because of its popularity and availability. By the 1890s, once cheese factories had sprung up across the nation, American cheddar was also referred to as "factory cheese". And in the 1920s another slang term arose for the still popular cheese: "rattrap cheese", or "rat cheese".
The Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
defines American cheese as a "cheese of cheddar type, made in the U.S." and lists 1804 as the first known usage of "American cheese", occurring in the Frankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort is a city in Kentucky that serves as the state capital and the county seat of Franklin County. The population was 27,741 at the 2000 census; by population it is the 5th smallest state capital in the United States...
newspaper Guardian of Freedom. The next usage given is in 1860 by Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
in his series The Uncommercial Traveller.
1942 U.S. restriction to American cheese
During the summer months of 1942, U.S. officials imposed severe restrictions on cheese consumption as a wartime conservation measure. These restrictions disallowed the sale or consumption of all types of cheese other than American cheese. This was due to a combination of factors: paucity of availability of cheese from continental Europe, abundance of the American variety, and a perceived need to encourage wartime patriotism among citizens. The ban took effect on May 4, 1942.The public response to the ban was immediate and noticeable. Importers of British cheese claimed that it damaged morale in both countries, and represented a lack of solidarity in the war effort on the part of the USA. For these reasons and others, the ban was rescinded without opposition on August 1, 1942.
Modern varieties
Even though the term “American cheese” has a legal definition in the United States as a type of pasteurized processed cheeseProcessed cheese
Processed cheese, process cheese, cheese slice, prepared cheese, cheese singles or cheese food is a food product made from normal cheese and sometimes other unfermented dairy ingredients, plus emulsifiers, extra salt, food colorings, or whey...
, products called "American cheese" are by no means identical. Depending on the additives and the amounts of milk fat and water added to the cheese during emulsification, the taste and texture of American cheese varies, with some varieties (e.g. "American cheese" and "American processed cheese") being very similar to non-processed cheese and other varieties (e.g. "American cheese food" and "American cheese product") being more like Velveeta
Velveeta
Velveeta is the brand name of a processed cheese product having a taste that is identified as a type of American cheese with a texture that is softer and smoother. It was first made in 1918 by Swiss immigrant Emil Frey of the Monroe Cheese Company in Monroe, New York. In 1923, The Velveeta Cheese...
or Cheez Whiz
Cheez Whiz
Cheez Whiz is a thick processed cheese sauce or spread sold by Kraft Foods. It was developed by a team led by food scientist Edwin Traisman and was first marketed in 1953....
. The interested consumer should pay close attention to the wording used on the label of each product and to the ingredient list. (Refer to the definitions in the Sale and labeling section of the article on Processed cheese
Processed cheese
Processed cheese, process cheese, cheese slice, prepared cheese, cheese singles or cheese food is a food product made from normal cheese and sometimes other unfermented dairy ingredients, plus emulsifiers, extra salt, food colorings, or whey...
.)
The taste and texture of different varieties of American cheese vary considerably, and mostly depend on the percentage of cheese versus additives used during emulsification. Varieties with lower percentages of additives tend to taste more like unprocessed cheese. Depending on the food manufacturer, the color of the cheese (orange, yellow, or white) may indicate different ingredients or processes. Some manufacturers reserve the white and yellow colors for their less processed (i.e. fewer additives) American cheese varieties. In other cases , the ingredients for white and orange colors are the same, except for the coloring. However, this does not necessarily mean that even these white and orange cheeses have exactly the same flavor and texture because the spice annatto
Annatto
Annatto, sometimes called roucou or achiote, is a derivative of the achiote trees of tropical regions of the Americas, used to produce a yellow to orange food coloring and also as a flavoring...
, which has a subtle but noticeable taste, is often used for coloring American Cheese.
The processed variety of American cheese is sold in three basic packaging varieties: individually wrapped cheese slices, small pre-sliced blocks of 8 to 36 slices, and large blocks meant for deli counters. The individually wrapped cheese slices are typically the most like unprocessed cheese. Small (e.g., 8- to 36-slice) blocks of pre-sliced, but not individually wrapped American cheese are also marketed, often with the branding "deluxe" or "old-fashioned". This variety of American cheese is similar in ingredients and texture to that of modern block American cheese. Before the advent of the individually wrapped variety, this was the typical variety that Americans purchased. Hence, some people refer to this as "classic" or "traditional" American cheese.
American cheese in block form sold at deli
Delicatessen
Delicatessen is a term meaning "delicacies" or "fine foods". The word entered English via German,with the old German spelling , plural of Delikatesse "delicacy", ultimately from Latin delicatus....
counters is typically a less processed cheese than its individually wrapped cousin. Nonetheless, most block American cheese is still a processed cheese.
See also
- List of cheeses
- Government cheeseGovernment cheeseGovernment cheese is processed cheese that was provided to welfare and food stamp recipients in the United States from the 1960s through to the early 1990s...
- Kraft SinglesKraft SinglesKraft Singles is a processed cheese product manufactured and sold by Kraft Foods, introduced in 1949 . Kraft Singles is a pasteurized cheese product manufactured and sold by Kraft Foods, introduced in 1947...
- VelveetaVelveetaVelveeta is the brand name of a processed cheese product having a taste that is identified as a type of American cheese with a texture that is softer and smoother. It was first made in 1918 by Swiss immigrant Emil Frey of the Monroe Cheese Company in Monroe, New York. In 1923, The Velveeta Cheese...
- Cheez WhizCheez WhizCheez Whiz is a thick processed cheese sauce or spread sold by Kraft Foods. It was developed by a team led by food scientist Edwin Traisman and was first marketed in 1953....
- Easy CheeseEasy CheeseEasy Cheese is the trademark for a processed cheese product distributed by Kraft Foods, also referred to as aerosol cheese or spray cheese, and is a descendant of squeeze cheese . It comes packaged in a spray can, much like canned whipped cream and does not require refrigeration...
- Borden Milk ProductsBorden Milk ProductsBorden Milk Products L.P. is a privately held American corporation owned by the Dallas, Texas-based Milk Products LLC, a subsidiary of Grupo Lala.- Borden's Beginnings :...
External links
- Making American cheese on the farm for home consumption, Farmers' Bulletin No. 1734, U.S. Department of AgricultureUnited States Department of AgricultureThe United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
, October 1934. Hosted at University of North TexasUniversity of North TexasThe University of North Texas is a public institution of higher education and research in Denton. Founded in 1890, UNT is part of the University of North Texas System. As of the fall of 2010, the University of North Texas, Denton campus, had a certified enrollment of 36,067...
Government Documents Department. - An American-type cheese: how to make it for home use, Farmers' Bulletin No. 2075, U.S. Department of AgricultureUnited States Department of AgricultureThe United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
, October 1954.