On Tue, 03 Feb 2004 09:54:48 -0500, Jenn Ridley
wrote:

Frogleg wrote:

On Mon, 02 Feb 2004 12:05:02 GMT, schachmal
wrote:

I think it has something to do with philly cream cheese. Can someone
explain?

Philadephia, yes; cream cheese, no. The 'authentic' ingredient seems
to often be another Kraft product -- jarred (or presurrized can?)
Cheese Whiz processed cheese (sauce).

Although it wasn't originally. AFAICT, the original cheese steak
sandwiches had Provolone in them, and perhaps another mild Italian
cheese. The CheezWhiz is a simplification. Many true cheesesteak
fans are distressed by the use of CheezWhiz on a cheesesteak.

I suppose there are very few "authentic" recipes that specify a
particular brand of manufactured processed cheese, although we might
have to designate Campbell's condensed cream of mushroom soup as one
of the major food groups. :-) I haven't been to Philadelphia in
decades, nor have I ever eaten a 'cheese steak'. My comments were
based on reading a *lot* of discussion on the subject, as well as
checking into quite a few recipes. Personally, I'd go for the
provolone, but it *does* appear that Cheese Whiz is quite common.

I searched and experimented for years for the "genuine" delicious
chile con queso recipe served by a New Mexico restaurant only to find
(friend of the owner's family) it was Velveeta-based. So much for
hidalgo heritage. :-)