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Kapatsos remembers...
I would take cheese over candy any day of the week..love the stuff  More »
Posted on 09/16/08

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Kraft Singles........sandwiches!!!
Posted by wldpuma on 08/22/08

Cheddar begat American begat Velveeta begat Cheez Whiz.  Or at least that’s how it seems.  How did Americans come to have their own cheese?  Defining is difficult as there are many varieties and formulas , however, American cheese has a legal definition under the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations as type of pasteurized process cheese with a certain moisture and milkfat content.  Heck, ask the right (or wrong, depending on your stance) person, “What is American Cheese” and you just might get a heartfelt recommendation for preparation of grilled cheese.  Or perhaps a sneer and, like The Graduate, one word:  "plastic."

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In the U.S., American cheese is easy to find in a block, at the deli, pre-sliced, unwrapped or wrapped individually in plastic, and in colors from ranging from white to yellow to orange.  More popular for its texture rather than taste, while it’s typically smooth, the texture of American cheese can vary depending on the emulsification process, and the number of additives; anything from salt to unnamable chemical compounds.  In the case of Cheez Whiz and Velveeta, well, that’s about as smooth as it gets, however, it’s not exactly considered American cheese, though they’re often thrown into the mix due to their quite similar flavors. 

It was almost 1920 when the process for American cheese was created, and since 1950, Kraft made the cheese commercially available.(And who doesn't remember the mid-afternoon toddler snack, or the way a Kraft Single would tear if you opened the plastic wrapper too hastily?) The standard compliment for a cheeseburger or bologna sandwich, no matter which way you slice it, American Cheese was truly a staple of the 20th century.