Velveeta

[jsmith]

Velveeta:  Originally it was a "pasteurized process cheese food" and is now a "pasteurized processed cheese".  What happened?

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From Wikipedia:

In 2002, the FDA warned Kraft that Velveeta was being sold with packaging that described it as a "pasteurized processed cheese food," which the FDA claimed was false ("cheese food" must contain at least 51% cheese). Velveeta is now sold as a "cheese product," using a term for items that contain less than 51% cheese.

To answer my own questions if anyone else was interested, according to Wikipedia Rotel is a combination of tomatoes and green chiles sold in a can. It also appears that Velveeta is sold in a block and has the same texture as single slices of processed cheese, with a slightly different flavour.

And as SB points out above, it is indeed sold in Canada. I'm still curious why the other processed cheese products are still popular here but not the Velveeta.

One last question, all the obove posts seem to involve cooking it. Can you just cut off a slice and munch on it raw, or is it always cooked?

[srhcb]

It also appears that Velveeta is sold in a block and has the same texture as single slices of processed cheese, with a slightly different flavour.

That does seem to be the case, (chalk one up for quality control), but back 20+ years ago every ingot of Velveeta was slightly different in taste and texture. Every now and then you would get a very firm, darker orange one, which was the best!

One last question, all the obove posts seem to involve cooking it.  Can you just cut off a slice and munch on it raw, or is it always cooked?

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I've always done this. It's best to cut it at least 3/4" thick to get the best "bite".

[lancastermike]

Although I do not use it these days it of course has fond memories for me. the grilled cheese sandwiches my mom made were made with Velveeta. They were gooey and hot and wonderful.

[SuzySushi]

Velveeta was never part of my growing up (our grilled cheese sandwiches were always made with sliced American cheese), but I fondly recall the riff on Velveeta dip that a couple used to bring to Mensa Games Night every month. I got the recipe, but I haven't had it since they left Hawaii 10+ years ago!

"Hot Mexican Dip"

1 package mild Mexican Velveeta cheese

1 package hot Mexican Velveeta cheese

1 or 2 cans refried beans

1 can hot or mild enchilada sauce

Combine all ingredients and heat until Velveeta melts. Serve hot with tortilla chips.

[BeeZee]

Also, what is Rotel?

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Ro-Tel is a brand of canned tomatoes with green chilis...they sell both whole tomatoes and chopped. Look for the white label, it will stand out from the other tomato products and their red labels! It is not available in all markets, either.

[Carrot Top]

I also used Velveeta to make cheese grits according to a specified recipe for a group dinner. They were freaking fabulous, and nothing McD's et al serve comes close to the wanton inclusion of fat and salt of those grits.

I'd absolutely love that recipe....

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Ditto. It would be great if you could post it if you still have it.

Hi,

How did Steven Jenkins miss these finds in his "Cheese Primer"?

Velveeta:  Originally it was a "pasteurized process cheese food" and is now a "pasteurized processed cheese".  What happened?

Cheese Whiz:  "Pasteurized Process cheese spread/sauce"  Tastes like it contains both but contains neither.

Tim

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Mmm. Maybe it doesn't belong in a "Primer" but rather in "Advanced Studies", Tim.

[Daddy-A]

Just made Velveeta Fudge ...

Velveeta (375g)

Baker's Chocolate (6 squares)

Butter (1 cup)

Corn Syrup (2 tbl)

Icing Sugar (8 cups)

Chopped Nuts (2 cups)

I tasted it 2 hours ago. Not dead yet.

A.

[MarketStEl]

Velveeta:  Originally it was a "pasteurized process cheese food" and is now a "pasteurized processed cheese".  What happened?

←

From Wikipedia:

In 2002, the FDA warned Kraft that Velveeta was being sold with packaging that described it as a "pasteurized processed cheese food," which the FDA claimed was false ("cheese food" must contain at least 51% cheese). Velveeta is now sold as a "cheese product," using a term for items that contain less than 51% cheese.

To answer my own questions if anyone else was interested, according to Wikipedia Rotel is a combination of tomatoes and green chiles sold in a can. It also appears that Velveeta is sold in a block and has the same texture as single slices of processed cheese, with a slightly different flavour.

And as SB points out above, it is indeed sold in Canada. I'm still curious why the other processed cheese products are still popular here but not the Velveeta.

One last question, all the obove posts seem to involve cooking it. Can you just cut off a slice and munch on it raw, or is it always cooked?

←

Kraft also makes Velveeta Slices, individually wrapped single slices of Velveeta.

Velveeta has a higher moisture content than American cheese and IMO a sharper taste. A thick slice off a Velveeta loaf is noticeably more gelatinous or rubbery in its appearance and behavior than an equally thick slice off a loaf of American cheese. (It doesn't wiggle like Jell-O, but it will sway; it's more limber than American cheese for sure.)

Sure you can eat Velveeta right off the block (or by the slice)! But given that it's made to melt, why would you?

Velveeta was never part of my growing up (our grilled cheese sandwiches were always made with sliced American cheese), but I fondly recall the riff on Velveeta dip that a couple used to bring to Mensa Games Night every month.

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Aside: I saw an ad for Mensa in the most recent NLGJA (National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association) newsletter. The ad explained the organization's purpose, but the line I liked was the one that read, "If you think you're smart enough to join Mensa, you probably are."

I've never seen the Hot Mexican version of Velveeta up this way. The only kind the local supermarkets carry is the Mild Mexican version.

I've done the chili and the salsa versions of the Velveeta Mexican dip, but not the Ro-Tel dip yet. Apparently, it's a thing apart from the others, judging from the testimonials here. Ro-Tel is available at many local supermarkets now, so I guess I'll have to give it a try.

[srhcb]

Aside:  I saw an ad for Mensa in the most recent NLGJA (National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association) newsletter.  The ad explained the organization's purpose, but the line I liked was the one that read, "If you think you're smart enough to join Mensa, you probably are." 

That seems like mutual damnation by faint praise?

BRW: If you Google "mensa" "Velveeta", you'll get 344 cites!

[BarbaraY]

Mmmm....Velveeta....Wasn't that the stuff they gave Socrates to consume in order to shut him up?

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My feelings exactly.

I remember as a child of about 5 being given a slice of it as a snack and I still remember gagging on that nasty texture.

The only thing I can think of that could be worse was to put it on a Spam sandwich.

Just made Velveeta Fudge ...

Velveeta (375g)

Baker's Chocolate (6 squares)

Butter (1 cup)

Corn Syrup (2 tbl)

Icing Sugar (8 cups)

Chopped Nuts (2 cups)

I tasted it 2 hours ago.  Not dead yet.

A.

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Shudder!

[CaliPoutine]

Also, what is Rotel?

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Ro-Tel is a brand of canned tomatoes with green chilis...they sell both whole tomatoes and chopped. Look for the white label, it will stand out from the other tomato products and their red labels! It is not available in all markets, either.

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Sadly, its not availble in this part of Canada. I pick it up in Michigan if I ever need it.

Btw, our local market( Independent, off-shoot of Loblaws) does sell Velveeta. They usually have it in the refridgerated section and it only comes in one size. Its A LOT more expensive here than in The States.

Edited August 18, 2007 by CaliPoutine (log)

[jayt90]

Btw, our local market( Independent, off-shoot of Loblaws) does sell Velveeta.  They usually have it in the refridgerated section and it only comes in one size.  Its A LOT more expensive here than in The States.

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I can think of two reasons why a small box of Velveeta costs $7 or $8 here.

1) The Milk Marketing Board controls all dairy production in Canada. Each cow has a quota price of $80,000 just to be in a herd.

2) Kraft seems to have a strangle-hold on the mass market cheese. Are they also that powerful in the U.S?

Thankfully cheese from sheep or goats can be more reasonable. There is more of this in Canadian Feta now, because the cheesemaker can get away from the cow-milk quota that way.

[CaliPoutine]

Btw, our local market( Independent, off-shoot of Loblaws) does sell Velveeta.  They usually have it in the refridgerated section and it only comes in one size.  Its A LOT more expensive here than in The States.

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I can think of two reasons why a small box of Velveeta costs $7 or $8 here.

1) The Milk Marketing Board controls all dairy production in Canada. Each cow has a quota price of $80,000 just to be in a herd.

2) Kraft seems to have a strangle-hold on the mass market cheese. Are they also that powerful in the U.S?

Thankfully cheese from sheep or goats can be more reasonable. There is more of this in Canadian Feta now, because the cheesemaker can get away from the cow-milk quota that way.

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I'm curious though, What is the percentage of milk in Velveeta. It seems to be mostly other ingredients with a low percentage of actual dairy.

[Carrot Top]

Just made Velveeta Fudge ...

Velveeta (375g)

Baker's Chocolate (6 squares)

Butter (1 cup)

Corn Syrup (2 tbl)

Icing Sugar (8 cups)

Chopped Nuts (2 cups)

I tasted it 2 hours ago.  Not dead yet.

A.

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How did it taste, Arnie, and what was the impetus that made you want to try making it?

Where does one find such a recipe, too?

[srhcb]

Just made Velveeta Fudge ...

Velveeta (375g)

Baker's Chocolate (6 squares)

Butter (1 cup)

Corn Syrup (2 tbl)

Icing Sugar (8 cups)

Chopped Nuts (2 cups)

I tasted it 2 hours ago.  Not dead yet.

A.

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How did it taste, Arnie, and what was the impetus that made you want to try making it?

Where does one find such a recipe, too?

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Inside the cover of an old Velveeta box, or in one of those little recipe inserts.

SB (I think it's also on Kraft's web site)

[srhcb]

Inside the cover of an old Velveeta box

And, speaking of old Velveeta boxes:

For the surprisingly large number of Velveetaphiles out there, (plus the few Velveetaphobes), there is an eBay category for Velveeta Memorobilia!

I personally have:

1 ea .5/1.0/2.0 lb 60-70's era "Smiling Kid" boxes, which I was prescient enough to have saved at the time

A genuine Velveeta logo cheese keeper (not the generic Tupperware version) that I inherited (ie: swiped) from my Mother.

The Velveeta embroidered kitchen towel, a gift from said Mother.

A wooden Velveeta box I found years ago in an antique store.

A Veveeta Shells & Cheese box autographed by Nascar driver Jeff Burton which I got in an eBay auction.

SB (anybody else?)

Edited August 18, 2007 by srhcb (log)

[Synergy]

Although I have never purchased Velveeta cheese myself, it will always be a comfort food to me. My grandpa made it all the time when I was a kid, and it was the best thing ever. I still crave it when I am sick.

[JTravel]

When I was pregnant one August, many years ago, my mother came to "look after" me. After several days of grilled Velveeta , bacon and fresh tomato sandwiches she said "they're good....but enough".

This thread "forced" me to buy a box of Velveeta at the local Wegmans......several choices in size and flavor. I bought the new 2% milk type.....like that's going to help. The unit price "forced" me to buy the 2 pound box.....a bargain at $4.49.

I had a perfect melty sandwich, but still have plenty left for the dip.

When the kids were small and we camped our Friday night arrival food was what was then called "chili con queso"......Velveeta, fried ground beef, and salsa. Carried in ice chest and reheated on the Coleman stove, served with Fritos while we set up camp it was loved by all.

[CaliPoutine]

This thread "forced" me to buy a box of Velveeta at the local Wegmans......several choices in size and flavor.  I bought the new 2% milk type.....like that's going to help. The unit price "forced" me to buy the 2 pound box.....a bargain at $4.49.

The power of suggestion eh? We went to MI last night and I *almost* bought some too. I had no clue what I was going to do with it, it was just a good bargain. I didnt buy it though because our kitchen reno is starting soon and I've been given strict orders to use up what we have.

[MarketStEl]

I can think of two reasons why a small box of Velveeta costs $7 or $8 here.

1) The Milk Marketing Board controls all dairy production in Canada. Each cow has a quota price of $80,000 just to be in a herd.

2) Kraft seems to have a strangle-hold on the mass market cheese.  Are they also that powerful in the U.S?

Thankfully cheese from sheep or goats can be more reasonable. There is more of this in Canadian Feta now, because the cheesemaker can get away from the cow-milk quota that way.

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1) probably accounts for a lot of the difference. Instead of production quotas, we have deficiency payments (guaranteed price floors for the producers).

2) Kraft is the largest, but far from the only, mass-market cheesemaker in the United States. Borden -- its longtime chief rival -- has a good share of the market for individually wrapped (IW) slices in parts of the country. Land O'Lakes, the Minneapolis-based dairy cooperative best known for its butter, is also a major cheese producer and competes with Kraft in both the dairy case (block natural cheese and IW slices) and at the deli counter (where Kraft is a player only through its subsidiary Hoffman's). Regional producers like Cabot in Vermont, Sargento and Frigo in Wisconsin, Heluva Good in New York State and Tillamook in Oregon, also increasingly sell cheese through supermarkets across the country; Cabot and Tillamook also produce outstanding aged Cheddars for the specialty market. You can get Cheddar from all of these producers in blocks or slices, and most of them make IW American slices as well.

[Dana]

I have a recipe that adds Ranch-Style Beans, and a large can of tamales along with the sausage, Rotel and Velveeta.

I also add a handful of green onions.

Great for kids' parties.

[CaliPoutine]

I have a recipe that adds Ranch-Style Beans, and a large can of tamales along with the sausage, Rotel and Velveeta.

I also add a handful of green onions.

Great for kids' parties.

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What is a can of tamales?

[Dana]

Canned tamales from the chili area in the grocery. Open can, tamales are rolled in parchment or some other sort of paper. Unroll them and cut into 1 inch pieces. Dump into melting velveeta with all the other stuff.

[BetD]

ummmmmm,

Velveeta, mayo, horseradish, hot sauce....... melted together and cooled....... on a triscuit

pure "river food"

[Carrot Top]

Velveeta, mayo, horseradish, hot sauce....... melted together and cooled....... on a triscuit

pure "river food"

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I used to make an app of Parmesan and mayo on black bread triangles, quickly broiled then served. It was terrible how many one could eat, would want to eat, considering the high mayo content.

But I've never heard of "river food". Does that mean "food you go and hang out by the river to eat"?