The cheesiest

There's cheese, and then there's American cheese.  It never occurred to me that there was a procedural difference between the two until I noticed that the wrapper on the Cooper CV Sharp cheese said processed American cheese.  When it comes to food, that word raises an immediate red flag for me.  When I think of processed cheese, Velveeta, Cheez Whiz, or Kraft Singles come to mind...not deli cheese.  Well, that's how much I know.  Apparently Americans manufacture cheese while other cultures produce cheese using natural curdling processes.

America is known for its cheddar; American cheeses are suitable for American cuisine - they melt and are used for yummy food like grilled cheese and macaroni and cheese.   Eureka...now I know why my quest for flavor fell apart when I attempted the lobster macaroni and cheese some time ago.  I chose all of my favorite cheeses but they weren't suitable for this American dish.  Last night I thought I'd give it another stab - this time I went with gruyere (yes it's Swiss, but it works for fondue) and cooper sharp. 

The cheese sauce had an excellent consistency but it lacked the bite that we like in cheese (my husband was hoping for something akin to prima donna).  We had it with penne, asparagus, and langoustine tails...it was yummy but I think next time I'll go with an extra sharp Vermont cheddar.