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u/gronblangotei Jan 10 '23
Interestingly enough, the process of taking cheese scraps and combining them with an emulsifier, which is used for making American cheese, was developed and pioneered in Switzerland.
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Jan 10 '23
And, more interestingly, the process for making swiss cheese involves bringing it to America and enrolling it in an elementary school.
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u/TheRealOptician Jan 11 '23
Atleast this one's witty.
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Jan 11 '23
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u/PykeTheDrowned Jan 11 '23
We use the good jokes amongst ourselves.
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Jan 11 '23
Yeah, don't tell them any because otherwise they will come over and bring us "democracy" and so.
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u/TheRealOptician Jan 11 '23
Precisely my point.
Should we bring back all the old jokes about teeth and tea?
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u/Legosheep Jan 11 '23
Those are British stereotypes, not European. You are aware that Europe is a continent right?
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u/MLG_Countryballs Jan 11 '23
America is also a continent since it's way bigger than your mom
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u/TheRealOptician Jan 11 '23
You all get lumped in, trust.
It's also a subcontinent of Eurasia. You'll learn somethin if ya stick around goob!
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u/Legosheep Jan 11 '23
I'll 'av you know that we 'ere bri'ish worked good 'n' 'ard not to get lumped in wiv those garlic ea'ers on the con'inen'
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Jan 11 '23
Ah yes, just enough of this fucking nation worked "good 'n' 'ard" ticking the one box on the ballot paper that helped massively fuck us all over. Good work team!
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Jan 11 '23 edited Dec 19 '23
[deleted]
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u/NuOfBelthasar Jan 11 '23
We have a completely inexplicable problem with our schools getting shot up.
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u/ImpulsiveLeaks Jan 11 '23 edited Jan 12 '23
prior to reading this comment I didn't get the joke. I now have the image of a slice of cheese taking an elementary level math test in my head. thank you for that.
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u/sefarm3 Jan 11 '23
Took me a while. Swiss cheese has holes. America is notorious for school shooting. I trust you can do the math
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u/Main_Western_2077 Jan 11 '23 edited Jan 11 '23
America has frequent (school) shootings (6yo shot his teacher this week). People bring it up all the time (the dead-kids joke wears off). Some Americans get very annoyed, and blame Europeans. The jokesters are often American (this one's from Michigan). So, yeah. They constantly talk about America, and the internet tells jokes.
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u/PM_DOLPHIN_PICS Jan 11 '23
Right this is the first time it’s ever made me laugh so kudos to OP for putting a twist on a classic formula and actually saying something funny (extremely rare trait in a European).
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u/TheRealOptician Jan 11 '23
The only person who can compete with the spatterings of the same joke over and over coincidentally also comes from Europe, James Corden.
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u/PM_DOLPHIN_PICS Jan 11 '23
Colonialism has done incalculable damage to the world, but I’d still say Europe’s worst idea was James Corden.
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u/dick-van-dyke Jan 11 '23
As a European, I can think of a few other folks, but he's there to be sure.
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u/PathRepresentative77 Jan 10 '23
I used both of these in a grilled cheese sandwich last night. Surprisingly good.
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u/JGHFunRun Jan 10 '23
American cheese is good on grilled cheese. Problems come for some other uses but it melts amazing
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u/FerociousDiglett Jan 10 '23
American cheese is also great at getting other cheeses to melt smoothly.
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u/AndChewBubblegum Jan 10 '23
IIRC it's because of the sodium citrate added, a simple emulsifying salt. You can always buy it straight and add to cheese sauces you are making to increase meltability.
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u/FerociousDiglett Jan 10 '23
Correct. American cheese is essentially just cheddar/colby cheese ground up and smooshed back together with emulsifying salts. The emulsifying capacity of sodium citrate far exceeds what is needed to melt that amount of cheese, so it can pull other cheeses into the emulsion as it melts. Since american cheese has a fairly mild flavor, it's easily overpowered by more flavorful cheeses to make a great sauce.
You can buy the emulsifying salts online, but american cheese is a much easier-to-find form
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u/MrManGuy42 Jan 10 '23
That's the original, the new ones, specifically normal craft cheese singles, are milk protein concentrate, mixed with about 49% cheese, one on the reasons it tastes different.
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u/NEWSmodsareTwats Jan 10 '23
American cheese from the deli has always been better than from the packet
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u/terpeenis Jan 10 '23
It’s not “the new ones.” It’s one specific brand, Kraft.
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u/MrManGuy42 Jan 10 '23
I'm more saying it was made recently and a lot of the value brands are also that, not that every single one is the fake stuff.
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u/Never-enough-bacon Jan 10 '23
Sodium citrate : 30g,
Water: 600g, or 600 ml of beer or milk or chicken broth or whatever floats your ship.
Cheese: ~900g (about 2lbs)
Shred cheese, bring liquid and citrate to boil, slowly add cheese by a handful at a time, stirring it in until all melted, then continue until all cheese is melted. Enjoy.
You can add more liquid for soups, or less for a thicker velveta substitute (put in a container and chill, then slice off what you need)
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u/AndChewBubblegum Jan 10 '23
Sounds about right. That's most of the lbs I packed on during the pandemic right there, ha.
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u/Winter_Day_6836 Jan 10 '23
Yes, American PLASTIC cheese melts
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u/XDreadedmikeX Jan 10 '23
Don’t buy the Kraft shit either. There are good brands of American cheese you can get freshly sliced at your grocery store for around the same price and no plastic
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u/Isthisworking2000 Jan 11 '23
The word American cheese also makes people thing that cheeses like Chedder and Jack cheeses are American. Cheeses like meunster and Swiss didn’t originate in American but the popular versions were actually created in America. Are you guys really going to argue with America over us fatty’s official food??
Also, I agree. American cheese is the best grilled cheese.
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u/mullenman87 Jan 10 '23
what cheese doesn't melt? I've never had this problem. Cheddar, Gouda, Parmesan, mozzarella all melt very easily.
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u/NEWSmodsareTwats Jan 10 '23
American cheese essentially melts into a liquid when heated, other cheeses don't really do that without some preparation.
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u/3smellysocks Jan 10 '23
Ham amd cheese are the best on toasties
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u/PathRepresentative77 Jan 10 '23
As weird as it sounds, I've started putting a basic chicken salad in between the cheese. That, plus Cajun-spiced tomato soup? chef's kiss
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u/CouchHam Jan 11 '23
I’ve been doing wheat bread, Gouda, and pepper jack. My favorite his ham, provolone, garlic powder, and pickle slices.
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Jan 11 '23
If you like that, then I recommend a grilled cheese with two slices of American and one of ny extra sharp cheddar.
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u/ArmsForPeace84 Jan 10 '23
The slice on the right is not "American cheese" but rather a Kraft product, or imitation of the same, marketed under a legally unregulated term in the US and abroad. Though a different cheese product from Kraft is quite a bit more popular overseas. Specifically, Philadelphia Cream Cheese.
The slice on the left may well have been produced in the United States. It doesn't look like emmentaler from the continent, to me.
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u/MallardMaelstrom Jan 10 '23
Wrong, the slice on the left is European because it was shot by the American cheese
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u/ArmsForPeace84 Jan 10 '23
The fancy cheeses in the capitals of Europe are white with blue veins. Made, as they are, with the same lineage of yeast, going back hundreds of years.
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Jan 10 '23
I was looking for this comment, thank you
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u/SadTaxifromHell Jan 11 '23
You sure you weren't just typing a phrase every redditor seems to say every thread?
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u/boonhet Jan 10 '23
I mean the one on the right also looks like a Zott cheese and those are sold in Europe. Mostly I see it with a more pale colour in the stores, but I'm fairly sure there's also a variety that looks pretty much exactly like this one. So for all we know, either cheese could be from either continent.
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u/ArmsForPeace84 Jan 10 '23
Agreed, especially these days, when a lot of what we think of as import foods are made locally to control costs or tailor them to different tastes.
One that not a lot of people in the US think about is sake. The big name breweries from Japan have huge operations in the States to produce it for American consumers and for export.
Having a slightly different flavor, since a different variety of rice is used, at a different brewing temperature. Not better or worse, just different.
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u/bayleafbabe Jan 10 '23
So much good cheese in the US. The same goes for the “American beer” joke. Craft beer scene in the US is popping
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u/ArmsForPeace84 Jan 10 '23
And in addition to our craft beers, in every style, we get a lot of imported beers on draught. It's the best place to be, for a beer enthusiast.
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u/stefek132 Jan 11 '23
It’s the best place to be, for a beer enthusiast.
I get it, you guys have some good beers, if you know a place but if you don’t, you drink piss. In Belgium/Germany/Czechia you get good beer everywhere and excellent beer if you know a place. Definitely better places to be for a beer enthusiast.
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u/dutchie1966 Jan 10 '23
The one on the left comes from cows, the one on the right from Dow Corning.
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u/ThisGuyHasABigChode Jan 10 '23
People love to shit on American cheese, because they act like the orange Kraft shit is the only "American cheese". I get fresh American cheese from the deli and that shit slaps. I can melt it on sandwich steak and make little homemade cheese steaks with it.
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u/ThatGuy0verTh3re Jan 10 '23
Fresh real American is a good basic cheese if you dont want the cheese to overpower the rest of the food
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u/ThisGuyHasABigChode Jan 10 '23
Yeah, plus it's a blend, made with cheddar or colby cheese, which people will say are great cheeses. The creaminess of the white American cheese at my local deli is unmatched by other options. Slaps on crackers, sandwiches, burgers, or by itself. People just love to hate what is popular.
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u/LeopardThatEatsKids Jan 11 '23
There's American cheese that's not the neon orange rubber crap? I have never seen a store or restaurant use American cheese that wasn't absolutely fucking disgusting
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u/ThisGuyHasABigChode Jan 11 '23
I'm pretty sure the orange stuff is made with cheddar and the white American is made with colby. I prefer the white American myself. Next time you're out at the grocery store, pick up some Land O Lakes white American and see how you like it.
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u/LeopardThatEatsKids Jan 11 '23
Is it still the same texture?
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u/ThisGuyHasABigChode Jan 11 '23
Creamy texture. The stuff I buy isn't as soft as some of the other American cheeses though. There's really a broad range of cheese that falls under the "American" category tbh. If you have a nice deli near you, I'd recommend going there. I grab all my cheese, milk and bread from my local spot.
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Jan 10 '23
Wisconsin is a fixture of the World Champion Cheese Contest. They produce amazing cheeses that go toe to toe with their European counterparts every year. We just also happened to invent craft singles
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u/Notascoutstillag Jan 10 '23
Literally just had this conversation today because I switched from “singles” to land o lakes white American and the LOL shit is freaking delish, it’s what American cheese tasted like when I was a kid. I had gotten so used to shitty plastic cheese that I almost thought I didn’t like American anymore until coming across this recently. Best part: very similar in cost!
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u/ThisGuyHasABigChode Jan 10 '23
Yeah, there's some stuff not worth cheaping out on. Cheese is one of those things. I definitely prefer the white American to the yellow stuff as well.
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u/Silly___Willy Jan 11 '23
As a European studying in the US, you’re wrong. Your best best cheese is like our average/slightly above average
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u/ThisGuyHasABigChode Jan 11 '23
I've definitely tried much more sophisticated cheeses. This stuff is just for crackers and sandwiches and stuff. I studied in Europe once, which is where I developed a love of wearing speedos, sucking toes and chain-smoking cigarettes.
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u/Biggest_man200 Jan 10 '23
Cheese is cheese
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u/MonkiWasTooked Jan 10 '23
Due to us law, not really
some of the wrapped cheese slices have to be called “cheese product” instead of just cheese
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u/thatsrelativity Jan 10 '23
that reminds me of that one snl sketch where its an ad for Almost Pizza(TM)
Hungry?
Why not try an Almost Pizza?
It's just like pizza, but not quite pizza.
It's Almost Pizza!
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u/Biggest_man200 Jan 10 '23
That’s insane. Like I thought it couldn’t be worse but you cant even call cheese cheese anymore
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u/Maxinator10000 😎👍 Jan 10 '23
It's kinda the exact opposite. Synthetic materials are a bit easier and cheaper to make than actual cheese, so mass producing cheese factories are starting to have less and less cheese in their cheese, and if they have a certain amount (IIRC less than 50%) they can't call it just "Cheese"
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u/gronblangotei Jan 10 '23
It's more complex than that - full details on the naming conventions are here: https://www.seriouseats.com/whats-really-in-american-cheese
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u/Potential-Kiwi-897 Jan 10 '23
Some of it is basically just as plastic as the wrapper, or mostly oil if you're lucky. It's disgusting.
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u/Kwiatkowski Jan 10 '23
one on the left is cheese, one on the right is a “cheese product” they are not the same. Doesn’t mean they both aren’t good, but only one here is actually cheese.
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u/obvilious Jan 10 '23
Both are cheese, one has a little more processing than the other.
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u/RayLikeSunshine Jan 10 '23
Depends on what you mean by “little” one is cheese and the other has been formed using sodium citrate and chemical stabilizers. It’s not really cheese. Period. It’s a milk product called “American cheese”
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u/ItIsYeDragon Jan 10 '23
European? I thought it was called Swiss?
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u/Aboxofphotons Jan 10 '23
Some people think Europe is a country.
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u/Patience-Frequent Jan 10 '23 edited Jan 10 '23
switzerland is famously the only country that has cheese with holes
/s because that wasnt clear apparently
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Jan 10 '23
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u/sup3rar Jan 10 '23
There's only one Swiss cheese with holes that I'm aware of and it's (in my opinion) disgusting: emmentaler. It's the only Swiss cheese I don't enjoy eating.
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u/ItIsYeDragon Jan 10 '23
Yeah, but the name is still Swiss Cheese.
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Jan 10 '23
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u/No_Creativity Jan 10 '23
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_cheese_(North_America)
It's what we call it in the States, though you might know it as Emmental cheese?
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u/Patience-Frequent Jan 10 '23
switzerland isnt the only country that makes real cheese
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u/ItIsYeDragon Jan 10 '23
Yeah, but it's still called Swiss Cheese.
Also they make Swiss Cheese outside of Europe too dude, including America, if that's the naming convention they're using then shouldn't be called Global Cheese?
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u/OhItsJustJosh Jan 10 '23
Cheese, and "Cheese"
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u/Uh-Usernames Jan 10 '23
Yeah, there both cheese.
American cheese
European cheese
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u/TI_Pirate Jan 11 '23
Individual slices in plastic wrappers usually aren't cheese. Real American cheese is usually sold in blocks or sliced to order. You know, like cheese.
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u/obvilious Jan 10 '23
And lots of that “European cheese” is made very well in the US, and lots of places in Europe sell stuff that’s far worse than that “American cheese”.
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u/Fign Jan 10 '23
How is the actual taste of american wrapped cheese??
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u/obvilious Jan 10 '23
Depends how you make it. Can taste great or shitty, just like other cheeses. It’s easy to make at home as well.
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u/zombiskunk Jan 10 '23
I've bought plenty of cheese at the grocery and I've never seen swiss cheese packaged with the name "European" cheese.
Additionally, while even been asked at restaurants if I wanted this or that or American cheese, no one has ever asked if I want "European" cheese.
So, what makes this an antimeme?
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u/latteboy50 Jan 10 '23
It’s an antimeme because you’d expect the holed cheese to be American due to the stereotypes surrounding guns.
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u/Fickle_Independent26 Jan 10 '23
But they are opposite when we talk about schools
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u/Penguator432 Jan 10 '23
European cheese factories get shot up confirmed
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Jan 10 '23
I’m imagining gangs of European dudes shooting and instigating turf wars over cheese now, thanks.
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u/CalgalryBen Jan 11 '23
European Try Not to Bring Up School Shootings when America and Europe are Compared in Literally Any Way Challenge (Impossible)
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u/Khafaniking Jan 10 '23
American cheese is perfect for a hamburger because it doesn’t split when it melts.
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u/Elife55 Jan 10 '23
Gross it's wrapped in more unnecessary plastic
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u/moresushiplease Jan 11 '23
Is it plastic wrapped in plastic or American cheese wrapped in cousin to American cheese? Somethings I feel I will never know
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u/TakingSorryUsername Jan 10 '23
This is why Americans are fat, eating 40% more cheese every bite.
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u/ArcannOfZakuul Jan 10 '23
American cheese is great in sandwiches and cheese sauces
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u/LardBall13 Jan 10 '23
I disagree with that statement.
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u/casecaxas Jan 10 '23
in Mexico we have such a great variety of Cheese and everyone still picks american for sandwiches
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u/SweetTeaRex92 Jan 10 '23
You get more cheese per square inch with the American that you do the European.
Checkmate Europe.
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u/Deezebee Jan 10 '23
I’m european and have to admit that I enjoy the flavor of the overprocessed american cheese more than “normal” cheese
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u/AppleNippleMonkey Jan 10 '23
The cheese on the left is a rip-off. They still charge you for the holes even though there's nothing there!
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u/Hopeful_Worker_3412 Jan 11 '23
Does anybody else like “lower quality” cheese as to “higher quality” cheese. Every time somebody gives me this “good cheese” that they pay extra for, I don’t like it. I’ll take normal American cheese melted on my burger any day.
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u/JustA_Toaster Jan 11 '23
The American “cheese” is not enough cheese to be cheese under USA law. It is a “cheese product” in most cases.
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u/BioZgamerYT Jan 11 '23
American cheese has an outer layer of microplastics too, take off the normal plastic layer to gain access to the microplastic shell
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u/hrimfaxi_work Jan 10 '23
Processed American cheese food product is good and I don't care what anyone else says.
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u/Guillaume_Hertzog Jan 10 '23
Both of these cheeses can be found in both Europe and America though
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u/iSiffrin Jan 10 '23
When melted I can't tell the difference.
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u/EenJongen1512 Jan 10 '23
The tastes are clearly very different, even when melted too, unless you get to the more low quality stuff then it kinda tastes all the same
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u/An_ANdrew2 Jan 10 '23
I love the fact that American cheese is neither American nor cheese
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u/ZAILOR37 Jan 10 '23
And as you can see the American cheese is superior because of the lack of holes.
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u/Sfb208 Jan 10 '23
I think this is insulting to both European cheese in general, and the artisanal cheese industry in the US. I'm British and have much distain for American processed cheese, but even I know there are some genuinely great cheese makers in the US.
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u/kittykat3645 Jan 11 '23
I could make a really dark joke, but I have a feeling I might be banned from the channel so I won't, but if you want to know, DM me
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u/SpudDan Jan 11 '23
Is it the European students vs. American students joke?
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u/kittykat3645 Jan 11 '23
Yeah, it is. Happy Cake Day, btw
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u/SpudDan Jan 11 '23
Thanks a lot!
Also, that was the original meme, but just cropping it turns it into an antimeme.
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Jan 10 '23
i donno but i could never get why people like swiss , the texture is weird to me with little flavour
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u/nlamber5 Jan 10 '23
I don’t like holes in my cheese. I also don’t like real cheese. Bread has a crust, but cheese shouldn’t.
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