Cheez Whiz

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Cheez Whiz
Country of origin United States
Region, town
Source of milk Cow
Pasteurized Yes
Texture thick, viscous liquid
Aging time n/a
Certification

Cheez Whiz is a thick processed cheese sauce or spread introduced by Kraft Foods in 1952. The bright, yellow, viscous liquid usually comes in a glass jar, and is used as a topping for corn chips, hot dogs, cheesesteaks, and other foods. It is marketed in the United States, Canada, and the Philippines. Cheez Whiz can also be used as a spread on crackers.

Cheez Whiz is one of a number of "processed cheese foods", a category including similar products like Velveeta and some types of individually-wrapped cheese slices. These products contain regular cheese that has been reprocessed along with additional ingredients such as emulsifiers and stabilizing agents, such as xanthan gum or carrageenan. These products derive their tanginess and flavor from additional ingredients such as citric acid and flavoring compounds. Annatto is used for coloring.

The product has been sold in a narrow jar that tapered towards the base when sold as a spread. When Cheese Whiz is advertised as a dip or a sauce the jars are larger and more of a squat cylindrical shape.

Products include:

  • Cheez Whiz
  • Cheez Whiz Light
  • Salsa Con Queso

Cheez Whiz can also be found in Handi Snacks as Ritz Cheez Whiz 'n' Crackers in Canada.

Cheez Whiz has been reformulated in the early 21st Century. Both a new, wider, jar and a changed formula that allows dipping straight from the jar; this new formulation applies to the Cheez Whiz Light 15.5 oz and the Original Big Cheese 15 oz packages.

Contents

[edit] Regional

Cheez Whiz is traditionally used in Philadelphia Cheesesteaks, although other cheeses can also be used. In Philly cheesesteak restaurants, menus often offer a choice between provolone, American, and "Whiz". "Whiz," however, is the recommended cheese by the doyens of the South Philadelphia cheesesteak restaurants (Pat's and Geno's), with the default order being "Whiz, Wit" ... translation: cheez whiz, with (pronounced 'wid' or 'wit') fried onions.

[edit] In Popular Culture

Cheez Whiz makes an appearance in the movie The Blues Brothers. Elwood has returned to his apartment building with his brother Jake; one of his fellow residents, playing cards, hollers, "You get my Cheez Whiz, boy?" Elwood tosses the man a can he managed to pick up (amidst outrunning the police). Strangely, it is in spray-can form (see Easy Cheese).

In the song "Nature Trail to Hell" by musician "Weird Al" Yankovic from the album "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D, there is a deliberately-placed backwards-masked subliminal message that when played backwards, says 'Satan eats Cheez Whiz'.[1]

Musician Beck mentions Cheese Whiz in his breakout hit, "Loser" on the album Mellow Gold where he raps "Get crazy with the Cheez Whiz!".

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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