Freedom Cheeze!

[Kramodlog]

So, the discussion is over the terms of the upcoming US-EU trade agreement - the EU are pushing for the US to accept those same "Protected Region of Origin" designations as already exist over here.

I know, I started a thread that mentions it.

Whether they'll actually get that or not remains to be seen, of course.

It will take many years o negociations, but put together the US and the EU represents 50% of the world's GDP and 30% of commerce. Getting rid of tarifs and opening up markets is going to be very profitable for a lot of folk. Plus this new trade union that recognize brands and places of origines would give some leverage against knock-off making China.

 

[Kramodlog]

You misunderstand. There are different brands which sell Parmesan cheese -- consumers choose from among the different brands.

A better solution to all this is to define a standard for what makes something Parmesan, or cheddar, or whatever. But that won't happen, because the issue really isn't about quality of cheese.

There are standards about what makes a scotch whiskey or bourbon (one of which is that it needs to be made on US soil). Those have nothing to do with quality.

 

[Morrus]

Hah! I am shocked to find out that Cheddar isn't in the US. Over here, "cheddar" means "American cheese".
.

Cheddar is a town in Somerset.

 

[Viking Bastard]

Here in the US, "american cheese" and "cheddar" are two rather different things.

What's American cheese like? Everything "American" that comes with cheese comes with cheddar, which is probably what creates this perception.

Cheddar is a town in Somerset.

I know, googling that is what prompted my comment. Shocked!

 

[Viking Bastard]

Here in the US, "american cheese" and "cheddar" are two rather different things.

After some googling: American cheese = processed cheese? Like the stuff you get at Subway, right?

We have that as well. We just call that "fake cheese".

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

What's American cheese like? Everything "American" that comes with cheese comes with cheddar, which is probably what creates this perception.

As you've learned, American cheese isn't cheese (sadly, though, it's American).

But although a lot of American dishes use cheddar, if that's your only experience we need to share a broader range of foods. Colby-Jack is one of my favorites, a combination of Wisconsin Colby and California Monterey Jack. It's my go-to cheese for most sandwiches and California/Tex-Mex (American Mexican food isn't really Mexican, much like American Chinese food isn't really Chinese). Philly cheesesteak sandwiches are best with provolone cheese (another cheese whose name can be fought over).

Damn, now I want a grilled cheese sandwich.

 

[tuxgeo]

Replying to the OP:

Of "Parmesan," "Feta," and "Gorgonzola," the easiest one to replace with a fake name would be Parmesan:
one brand could produce "PourMeSome," another brand could produce "Permissian" (because it's giving itself permission to call it that), while another brand could produce "Par-Same-An."

It's like rebranding "Duct Tape" as "Duck Tape": if it sounds close enough, it will sell.

 

[Umbran]

After some googling: American cheese = processed cheese? Like the stuff you get at Subway, right?

Well, there's more than one thing that you can buy here that's called "American cheese".

These days, the more common is a "processed cheese", created from ingredients that don't really resemble cheese.

It is also still possible to buy American Cheese that is a blended stuff made from colby and/or cheddar cheeses.

"Under the US Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 (Food and Drugs), Article 133, Section 169 (Pasteurized processed cheese), the allowed usage of the term "American cheese" for certain types of "Pasteurized processed cheese" is detailed. Specifically, in paragraph (e)(2)(ii) of section 133.169, it states In case it is made of cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, colby cheese, or granular cheese or any mixture of two or more of these, it may be designated "Pasteurized processed American cheese"; or when cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, Colby cheese, granular cheese, or any mixture of two or more of these is combined with other varieties of cheese in the cheese ingredient, any of such cheeses or such mixture may be designated as "American cheese.""

 

[Viking Bastard]

As you've learned, American cheese isn't cheese (sadly, though, it's American).

But although a lot of American dishes use cheddar, if that's your only experience we need to share a broader range of foods. Colby-Jack is one of my favorites, a combination of Wisconsin Colby and California Monterey Jack. It's my go-to cheese for most sandwiches and California/Tex-Mex (American Mexican food isn't really Mexican, much like American Chinese food isn't really Chinese). Philly cheesesteak sandwiches are best with provolone cheese (another cheese whose name can be fought over).

Oh, to clarify, although when Icelanders think of American cheese they think "cheddar", that doesn't mean that they think Americans only have cheddar (which is, btw, not the same of what I think of as UK cheese, which is tougher, even though that appears to be [the original] cheddar).

It means it appears to be the default. As "the" American cheese. Like góðostur-not-gouda is here. We have other cheeses, but if you made a reference to "Icelandic cheese", I'd know what you were talking about--if an average Icelandic person made an average cheese sandwich, it's probably gonna be góðostur.

Damn, now I want a grilled cheese sandwich.

Yes. Damn you.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

"Under the US Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 (Food and Drugs), Article 133, Section 169 (Pasteurized processed cheese), the allowed usage of the term "American cheese" for certain types of "Pasteurized processed cheese" is detailed. Specifically, in paragraph (e)(2)(ii) of section 133.169, it states In case it is made of cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, colby cheese, or granular cheese or any mixture of two or more of these, it may be designated "Pasteurized processed American cheese"; or when cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, Colby cheese, granular cheese, or any mixture of two or more of these is combined with other varieties of cheese in the cheese ingredient, any of such cheeses or such mixture may be designated as "American cheese.""

The interesting contrast here germane to the original question -- regardless of what you think of "American cheese" -- is that this definition is a definition of what the product is or how it is made, and not where the product originates.