Is "American cheese" a metaphor for American taste?
According to Wikipedia, "American cheese" is a type of processed cheese made from leftover cheeses, emulsifiers, food coloring, and extra salt. Other than the extra salt, it is usually bland. About the only thing it is really good for is melting uniformly on top of a hamburger.
Even the once-juicy hamburger has become bland and salty. The bland, dryness of so many hamburgers is the result of factory-like food preparation which has led to high bacteria counts. High bacteria counts have led to food-induced illnesses. Food-induced illnesses have led to litigation or legislation. Bye-bye, tasty food.
American salads also tend to be made with iceberg lettuce, a tasteless, low-nutrition green whose only redeeming qualities are crunchiness and juiciness. Add to the salad a hard, flavorless, factory tomato. At least few restaurants call blue cheese dressing Roquefort anymore.
But things are looking up. The many ethnic restaurants are providing more variety than the chain hamburger eatery and the once-ubiquitous steak house - four kinds of oversize steaks and maybe fish, deep-fried, of course. Now if more restaurants would provide less than mammoth portions.
