Pineapple Express: Someone Is Wrong on the Internet?

[Thomas Shey]

American cheese slices are meant to have a more neutral flavor. It is supposed to be a smooth cheese. It is good if you don't want the cheese overpowering other ingredients. Also I kind of like the flavor on its own. If you get good quality American cheese and have it sliced at the deli counter, it tastes great

If so, I've never really hit it, no matter where. Anything that was actually called "American cheese" was something that was identifiable as cheese, but that was what you could say for it. If I'm going to bother with cheese at all, the last thing I want is a "neutral" flavor. (Which is not to say overly strong cheeses can't be too much--most sharp Cheddars are a bridge too far for me).

(Semi amusing related story: years ago our first dog as a couple was what almost certainly was a Belgian Maliois named Lupe; she was a rescued stray who'd likely been roaming the streets for weeks before the Pasadena Human Society caught her, and she was only about 5-6 months old at the time.. She'd eat anything with a reasonable family resemblance to food; ancient popcorn that had fallen behind the couch, half rotted avocados in the yard, you name it.

At one point we were needing to give her some pills, and she was absolutely not a dog who was going to make it easy to just pop it in her throat. So I went out and bought some exceedingly cheap "cheese slices" figuring I'd wrap the pills in one and give it to her that way.

Wrap the first pill up, offer it to her, she starts to wolf it down--and then promptly spits it out. According to my wife, without even missing a beat, I said "That's not food", took the rest of the package and threw it away.)

 

[payn]

I wonder if it is the preferred cheese for hamburgers because too many people haven't yet tried pimento cheese on them, and it's hard to find at a burger place outside the south.

Nope. American melts easily and evenly making it ideal for burgers and has a neutral flavor. Thats about it.

 

[Reynard]

American cheese slices are meant to have a more neutral flavor. It is supposed to be a smooth cheese. It is good if you don't want the cheese overpowering other ingredients. Also I kind of like the flavor on its own. If you get good quality American cheese and have it sliced at the deli counter, it tastes great

Not the Kraft junk, but actual deli sliced American cheese is what my wife and i call "comfort cheese" -- it tastes like childhood.

But give me something sharp or sour or tangy or dare I say it stinky sometimes.

 

[Thomas Shey]

Also in defense of American cheese tastes, we don't just eat American cheese. It is simply one type of cheese here, and it is there preferred cheese for things like grilled cheese or hamburgers for a lot of people. But you can still get gorgonzola. And stuff like cheddar is very popular here

You can even sometimes get Cheddar, Swiss or Jack at a fast food place if you get away from the big chains. Its pretty hit or miss, though.

 

[payn]

Not the Kraft junk, but actual deli sliced American cheese is what my wife and i call "comfort cheese" -- it tastes like childhood.

Yes, the deli stuff is noticeably better than Kraft singles.

But give me something sharp or sour or tangy or dare I say it stinky sometimes.

Of course, cheddar should be sharp as hell.

 

[Thomas Shey]

I wonder if it is the preferred cheese for hamburgers because too many people haven't yet tried pimento cheese on them, and it's hard to find at a burger place outside the south.

Hard for me to think, given I've had burgers with Swiss or Cheddar for a long time, and they seem perfectly fine. And I'm a picky-butt about what goes on my burgers.

 

[Mannahnin]

"Hunter's Sharp" or "Seriously Sharp" are the grades of Cabot's cheddar my family favors. I've never liked cheese on a burger, though.

 

[Cadence]

Nope. American melts easily and evenly making it ideal for burgers and has a neutral flavor. Thats about it.

The bumpiness and heft of the pimento cheese works well by itself and stops the jalapenos from sliding off...

But seriously, it does melt really well if that is what one is after. We have a recipe we need that for that we use Velveeta original in. (I guess that isn't exactly American cheese?).

 

[payn]

The bumpiness and heft of the pimento cheese works well by itself and stops the jalapenos from sliding off...

But seriously, it does melt really well if that is what one is after.

I think thats one part, and the neutral flavor is another. Im not saying it should be that way, just if you are selling to a general audience, the pimento might be too much flavor vs American.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I wonder if it is the preferred cheese for hamburgers because too many people haven't yet tried pimento cheese on them, and it's hard to find at a burger place outside the south.

My parents are from the South and it's wild how many people have never even heard of pimento cheese elsewhere, much less know the glories of the pimento cheese sandwich.