this post was submitted on 24 Jun 2025
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A place to exchange kick-ass recipes. Either your own, or links to ones you've found and tried (and which worked) online, or tweaks to classics.
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I grew up in the midwest. We survived on processed ingredients. I now live in the Bay Area.
I tell my partner that I need the shitty Kraft cheese for my grilled cheese sandwich, not the cheeses from Whole Foods or Trader Joes, because that's what I had growing up. I need the shitty ingredients for certain specific foods because I want that taste. It's not a lot of meals, but a handful must match my childhood.
Im not a cheese eater but I was under the impression that American cheese made a better grilled cheese because of the way it melts.
Its a different dish. American cheese is very melty but unless you go for some specialty shit or do some kitchen chemistry, its a very uncomplex cheese. It'll taste like a blend of mild cheeses, predominantly unaged cheddar. That's sometimes good, but one of cheese's best features as a food is that it's got a wide range of deeper flavors available. For the cozy familiar dish you go with the cozy familiar version. But those of us who love the depths of cheese and don't have that craving, we often prefer more fancy cheese blends
That's actually correct, and a lot of people like to give American cheese grief because it comes individually sliced and packaged in plastic, but in reality it's just cheddar that has been reconstituted with extra milk. It can still be very high quality, with a uniquely creamy texture that is unmatched for a hot ham and cheese, or melting onto a burger.
The cheese melts faster. But I've def had better grilled cheese with, like, provolone.
I think there is such a thing as fancy American cheese that actually tastes good, but I've never seen it or tasted it.
American cheese is just cheese (usually cheddar) mixed with potassium citrate that acts as an emulsifier and prevents it from breaking when heated. It's as good as whatever cheese you start with.
Sodium citrate. Which I believe is there to allow the cheese to survive pasteurization, but it results in the texture and melting properties that make it the objectively correct choice for cheeseburgers. I still stand by provolone for cheesesteak sandwiches though.
And in that vein if you're sufficiently adventurous you can americanize your cheeses of choice
That's interesting. I would imagine the same with magnesium citrate would be more of a uh liberating experience.
Kraft Deli Selects if you're looking for prepackaged, otherwise a deli counter probably has it.
the microplastics give it that crunchyness
Kraft Singles are not cheese... Like literally, read the label, they're not legally allowed to call it "cheese."
It's a shame because there are decent American cheeses, yet people equate "American cheese" with disgusting Kraft Singles.
"pasteurized cheese product" 🤢
The Boar’s Head yellow American cheese is a great melter and actually has some cheese flavor compared to Kraft singles.
Honestly just better off getting a block of muenster
Cooper Sharp American cheese is where it's at. If you know, you know.
You don’t really see Cooper Sharp in the Bay Area where OP is.
I’m in the Midwest now though and agree that’s a great option.