Regional dishes are as telling of an area's culture as the people who live there. Chicago has the Italian beef, Cincinnati has its chili, and Philadelphia has the Philly cheesesteak. This classic sandwich is famous across America for its thinly chopped steak, crusty baguette, grilled onions-- and a heated debate about whether or not a real Philly cheesesteak includes bright yellow Cheez Whiz. Many locations across the city include the artificial cheese sauce in their rendition of the sandwich, with some going so far as to claim it's not an authentic cheesesteak if it doesn't have Whiz on it.
Cheez Whiz isn't the only dairy option for cheesesteaks in Philly -- other common cheeses used include provolone and American cheese. Still, most people are familiar with the iconic image of a Philly cheesesteak smothered in gooey Cheez Whiz, which is strange considering that the original cheesesteak didn't even have cheese on it at all. And, when it was finally introduced to the sandwich, provolone was the original cheese of choice. So, how exactly did Cheez Whiz become so synonymous with Philly cheesesteaks?
How Cheez Whiz Became The Dominant Cheese For Cheesesteaks
Cheez Whiz first came into existence in 1952, and, surprisingly, it didn't debut in America. The first iteration of Cheez Whiz was released by Kraft to Great Britain and was meant to serve as a mild type of cheese for British dishes. Cheez Whiz was then released in America a year later in 1953. By the time the bright yellow cheese was sold on American shelves, provolone was already the cheese of choice on cheesesteaks.
The reason Cheez Whiz became a key component of the sandwich was not because of taste or mouthfeel, but simply because of ease. Frank Olivieri, the nephew of the original cheesesteak creator Pat Olivieri, revealed in a 1985 interview with TheNew York Timesthat the real reason his uncle chose Cheez Whiz (and why so many other shops opted for it as well) was because it was easy to apply. The artificial cheese spread melted down quickly and its liquid texture was ideal for slathering a sandwich with.
No longer would sandwich makers have to wait for slices of cheese to melt to the proper texture, which meant faster production and more sandwiches in the hands of people all over Philadelphia. The initial use of Cheez Whiz was ultimately a business decision more than anything else. The fact that people loved the drippy, salty cheese was just a happy coincidence.
The History Of The Philly Cheesesteak
The first Philly cheesesteak was made by Pat Olivieri at his shop, Pat's King of Steaks, around 1930. According to thePat's King of Steakswebsite, the legend goes that one day Pat Olivieri was tired of the typical lunch he would have at his hot dog stand. So, he purchased some chopped meat and cooked the cut beef alongside the hot dogs at his stand. He then put the meat on an Italian roll, added some thinly slicedgrilled onions, and the iconic sandwich was born.
It began its domination of the Philadelphia food scene when a taxi driver spotted Olivieri eating the sandwich and asked for one himself.Its popularity increased from there, and Olivieri soon ditched the hot dogs in favor of the sandwich. Then, in the 1940s, the chopped steak sandwich morphed into its second version and earned the famous name everyone knows today. This was whenrestaurants first began adding slices of provolone cheese to the sandwich, offering a welcomed creamy, melty texture that previous iterations had been missing.
And, thus, the official Philly cheesesteak came to be. It's debated whether Olivieri was the first to add cheese, or if Joe Vento, the founder of a rival shop called Geno's, beat him to it. After the introduction of Cheez Whiz in America in 1953, the Philly cheesesteak was forever changed again, and now you'd be hard-pressed to find a location in Philadelphia that doesn't offer the gooey cheese spread as a main option.
Cheez Whiz is a brand of processed cheese sauce or spread produced by Kraft Foods. It was developed by a team led by food scientist Edwin Traisman (1915–2007). It was first sold in 1952, and, with some changes in formulation, continues to be in production today.
When Whiz was introduced in the 1950's people began slathering their cheesesteaks in it. They preferred the gooiness of the Whiz over its competitors which did not share the same qualities. Now, it's almost considered a sin to get a Cheesesteak without Whiz.
The original cheesesteak was credited to Pat and Harry Olivieri, two brothers who ran a hot dog stand near South Philadelphia's Italian Market. Legend has it that in the 1930s, the brothers wanted to offer new sandwiches. Their new item was grilled beef and onions in a toasted roll.
Let's dive into Philadelphia's most-famous sandwich. It is a sandwich made of thinly sliced beef — usually frozen chip steak — cooked on a griddle and served on a sliced roll with cheese and either “wit” or “witout” onions. The cheese is typically American cheese, provolone or melted Cheez Whiz.
First, ask for the kind of cheese you desire, Whiz or otherwise. Then say your onion choice: “wit” means with onions, and “witout” means without. For example, if you order a “whiz wit,” you'll get a steak with Cheez Whiz and onions.
Other hallmarks of a true Philly cheesesteak include an Amoroso's roll and sliced or shaved ribeye. A steak and cheese sandwich, then, can be defined by how it differs from a Philly cheesesteak. If it uses a different type of cheese, steak, or roll, it's a steak and cheese sandwich.
If Philadelphia is known for two things, it's got to be its signature cheesesteak sandwiches and its passionate, loyal locals. In the ongoing debate about which Philadelphia shop has the best cheesesteak sandwich, two names come up as a true rivalry — Pat's and Geno's.
The movies' Rocky Balboa may be Philadelphia's most celebrated fighter, but this city's greatest rivalry is between two South Philly cheese-steak joints that may rival the Liberty Bell for iconic status: Pat's and Geno's.
A retired Kraft food scientist, who was part of the team that invented Cheez Whiz, told Moss they were trying to replicate Welsh rarebit – "a kind of fondue sauce that people would put on toast that goes back to, I think, the 18th century," Moss explains. "You know, cheddar cheese, melted, delicious on toast.
Bring the flavor of Philadelphia to your table with a homemade cheesesteak sandwich made with deli-sliced roast beef and sautéed buttery sweet onion and peppers. Put it on top of melted Sargento® Sliced Mozzarella Cheese between a hearty and toasty French roll and take a big, juicy bite.
Over the years since the product's creation, Kraft has altered its recipe due to changes in dairy sourcing and the regulatory environment, resulting in a reduction of cheese content.
Here's the lowdown on this region's favorite sandwich. A cheesesteak begins with a long, crusty roll and continues with thinly sliced sautéed rib-eye, melted cheese and, as often as not, griddled onions. Generally, the cheese of choice is Cheez Whiz®, but American and mild or sharp provolone are common substitutions.
So, is Cheez Whiz real cheese or not? The short answer is NO. Actually, the FDA classifies this popular food as a “Processed Cheese Product”. While Cheez Whiz contains some of the same ingredients as traditional cheese, it also includes a variety of other additives that are not allowed.
“A cheesesteak wit,” is what you say if you want onions. “A cheesesteak witout,” is what you say if you don't want onions. (You can also order your cheesesteak “with onions” or “without onions” and nobody will mind.) At some places, you may be asked to specify whether you want American cheese, provolone, or Whiz.
Introduction: My name is Edwin Metz, I am a fair, energetic, helpful, brave, outstanding, nice, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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