Everyone makes fun of it, but that shit was sooooo damn good. My aunt and uncle got government cheese when I was really little, and I loved going over for visits and grilled cheese, lol.
I thought, "1.4 billion pounds of cheese can't be a real number, right?" Turns out, it kinda is. 1.4 billion pounds (actually generally 1.45-1.5 billion) is the amount of cheese the USDA stores in cold storage warehouses across the US. And indeed, much of that seems to be in caves in Missouri. But any particular cave probably only stores a few million pounds, although getting specific numbers is rather difficult.
It would be all well and good to decry the government "propping up Big Dairy," if any kind of real social safety nets existed in our stupid country. Ya know, to help the actual people who would be out on their asses, if any large industry really started struggling.
But we're not gonna do that in the USA, now are we?
Subsidizing industries, bending rules, creating loopholes, zero-interest loans, etc....that's the closest we can come to securing and protecting the welfare of any large group of working-class people. It shouldn't be that way, but the political climate is only getting WORSE, in terms of us being entirely unable to enact better solutions.
It just is what it is. Indirectly propping up regular people's livelihoods by enriching the Cheese Barons is the best we can do, as stupid as it sounds to actually say that.
Same with the rest of the food system, the airlines, the private utility companies, auto makers, etc. I'm not gonna be the one to just say "well, we should stop propping up these fat-cats," if it means people literally end up homeless.
The working people are basically hostages. If the government stops playing by the Ultra-Capitalists' rules, well, they aren't bluffing. They'll just fold up a huge portion of whatever industry they're currently invested in, let people become destitute by the tens of thousands, and re-invest that cash in some new racket.
Complaining about farm and cheese subsidies is like accusing the hostage negotiator of collaborating with criminals, because he sends some pizzas into the bank, during a hostage crisis. The poor hostages are the ones eating most of the fucking pizza. At least they won't die hungry, if they end up getting shot. Don't take their pizza away, just to keep it from the hostage-takers.
There’s a bunch of these huge warehouse-like caves in Missouri, some are more natural, but many have been developed. They are super valuable because of the natural climate consistency.
I replied with this lower down then figured it might as well be a top level comment.
Here is a great YouTube video that explains not only this cheese cave, but the reason it even exists and then where we get the phrase "government cheese" from and the whole government program of propping up the dairy industry.
Is American cheese any good? TV shows seem to imply it isn't but it seems weird you wouldn't have good cheese by now
Edit: I meant cheese made/available in the US, rather than the type called "American cheese". But thanks for the answers
There's a lot of incredible American- made cheeses, usually from more local cheese makers. Wisconsin and Vermont are the most fampus for their cheeses, but every state probably has good cheesemakers and there are some pretty good national brands. But the main cheese section at your typical grocery store is mostly just mass-produced cheap cheese that is probably more what you're referring too, which is fine for most uses (e.g. cooking) but eaten alone i would describe as perfectly fine but not great. A lot of grocery stores have a nicer cheese section, but it's usually in a section of the store more with other small bites.
We have normal cheese here too. American cheese is a specific kind of cheese, the same way Swiss cheese is. If you ask me, American cheese is nasty, but we do have good cheese in America
If you're talking about the cheese called "American cheese", then it's somewhat polarizing in preferences. But just like all cheeses, it's made for a very specific purpose: in this case, being amazing at melting. As a result, it's best on cheeseburgers, grilled cheese, mac and cheese, etc. But it also has a distinct, mild flavor that some don't like.
It also stabilizes cheese sauces made with other cheeses amazingly. If you cannot get a hold of pure sodium citrate, throw a single slice of American Singles into the pot. That will melt, mix in and not change the flavor at all. What it does do is make your cheese sauce stable enough you can refrigerate it, and the oil won't break out of the sauce.
I was a chef for 15 years, and a short order cook for 10
this is madness and I would argue it's the cheeses that you buy rather than "cheese as a whole", have you ever tried any imported cheeses? the cheaper options in a US supermarket are usually Wisconsin-made imitations that are great at being a lot cheaper than the real deal but flavor wise are just watered down imitations. I can't imagine not being able to taste the nutty umami of a Parmigiano Reggiano, the bright briny-ness of a Greek Feta, what about Smoked Gouda?? tastes more like BBQ than American cheese lol
I mean you're probably right. I don't know anything about cheese really so not sure if I've had proper imported cheese or not.
But yeah, I can't relate to your flavor descriptions lol the closest is when I can taste the jalapenos they add to some cheeses (for example).
This is probably why I am not particularly fond of cheese though lol
American cheese is good at being salty and creamy. It sucks in taste. Good on certain foods needing that. Burgers have been said, but I know crazies that melt a slice on a honeybun.
American cheese is just a different way to process a more shelf stable cheese. Unfortunately it loses some flavor.
St. Louis, Columbia, Kansas City, and Springfield are civilized. The rest of the state, you're not entirely wrong.
Debts paid off, we're just saving up to sell the house and expatriate as soon as feasible.
69 replies
It's a result of Jimmy Carter's dairy subsidies. There was a Planet Money episode about it, and the origin of the phrase "government cheese":
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/08/31/643486297/episode-862-big-government-cheese
Everyone makes fun of it, but that shit was sooooo damn good. My aunt and uncle got government cheese when I was really little, and I loved going over for visits and grilled cheese, lol.
They're preparing for the Dragonborn. He will need all 1.4 billion pounds of cheese to heal mid fight.
Ok who’s been messing with their Skyrim console commands?
You should see South Dakota's strategic cabbage chamber.
Idaho has potato caverns
I thought, "1.4 billion pounds of cheese can't be a real number, right?" Turns out, it kinda is. 1.4 billion pounds (actually generally 1.45-1.5 billion) is the amount of cheese the USDA stores in cold storage warehouses across the US. And indeed, much of that seems to be in caves in Missouri. But any particular cave probably only stores a few million pounds, although getting specific numbers is rather difficult.
Okay, see, if this were most of what the government did; I'd happily pay taxes.
I'd pay extra and ask how I could help. I'd be painting american flags on shit, instead of saying 'smash the state'.
That's just my emergency stash. I try to keep at least two week's worth of cheese there at any time.
Working on my night cheese
Good God
LemonOsitoSaid the dragon of their hoard.
You're welcome to have a ton or two. Tell 'em I sent ya
A moon-sized pizza to feed the Devourer of Worlds and save the Earth that way.
All they're doing is making earth's crust cheese stuffed.
Or it’s the government propping up Big Dairy
It was, but I do believe they've sold off a lot of it by now
It would be all well and good to decry the government "propping up Big Dairy," if any kind of real social safety nets existed in our stupid country. Ya know, to help the actual people who would be out on their asses, if any large industry really started struggling.
But we're not gonna do that in the USA, now are we?
Subsidizing industries, bending rules, creating loopholes, zero-interest loans, etc....that's the closest we can come to securing and protecting the welfare of any large group of working-class people. It shouldn't be that way, but the political climate is only getting WORSE, in terms of us being entirely unable to enact better solutions.
It just is what it is. Indirectly propping up regular people's livelihoods by enriching the Cheese Barons is the best we can do, as stupid as it sounds to actually say that.
Same with the rest of the food system, the airlines, the private utility companies, auto makers, etc. I'm not gonna be the one to just say "well, we should stop propping up these fat-cats," if it means people literally end up homeless.
The working people are basically hostages. If the government stops playing by the Ultra-Capitalists' rules, well, they aren't bluffing. They'll just fold up a huge portion of whatever industry they're currently invested in, let people become destitute by the tens of thousands, and re-invest that cash in some new racket.
Complaining about farm and cheese subsidies is like accusing the hostage negotiator of collaborating with criminals, because he sends some pizzas into the bank, during a hostage crisis. The poor hostages are the ones eating most of the fucking pizza. At least they won't die hungry, if they end up getting shot. Don't take their pizza away, just to keep it from the hostage-takers.
🐮
That's just the weekly stash
There’s a bunch of these huge warehouse-like caves in Missouri, some are more natural, but many have been developed. They are super valuable because of the natural climate consistency.
An example near Kansas City: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SubTropolis
I replied with this lower down then figured it might as well be a top level comment.
Here is a great YouTube video that explains not only this cheese cave, but the reason it even exists and then where we get the phrase "government cheese" from and the whole government program of propping up the dairy industry.
https://youtu.be/kvLMH0wb_0k?si=Fr5hvN401FG1A8aS
Wait until you see Iowa's yogurt lagoon.
It's obviously for the https://midwest.social/
My people!
Enjoy your cheese.
Wisconsin is invading next week
Can you in metric?
635,029,318,000 g
635029318 kg
63502931.8 mega grams
The prefixes go every 1,000 not every 10.
63.5029318000 megatonne
Or just teragram for nerds.
About 3/5ths of a metric megaton.
Ever wonder where the phrase "government cheese" comes from?
Not this, it comes from the free blocks of Velveeta style "cheese" the us government would give low income families in the 1980's
Sorry for the YouTube link but this explains not only the phrase, but also the entire think this post is about.
https://youtu.be/kvLMH0wb_0k?si=Fr5hvN401FG1A8aS
This is my retirement plan. When the time comes, I'll hide in the vast caves and eat cheese the rest of my existence.
Make believe they're home for a captured south European spy.
I would empty that place in an evening of "just one more slice and I'll go to bed"
Cheesy plans
I'd like to order an XL New York triple cheese pizza please... ummm, make that 2.
Diabetes 3
El queso del gobierno
They're planning on selling a lot of cheese...
Giving everyone either horrible constipation or violent diarrhea.
Is American cheese any good? TV shows seem to imply it isn't but it seems weird you wouldn't have good cheese by now
Edit: I meant cheese made/available in the US, rather than the type called "American cheese". But thanks for the answers
There's a lot of incredible American- made cheeses, usually from more local cheese makers. Wisconsin and Vermont are the most fampus for their cheeses, but every state probably has good cheesemakers and there are some pretty good national brands. But the main cheese section at your typical grocery store is mostly just mass-produced cheap cheese that is probably more what you're referring too, which is fine for most uses (e.g. cooking) but eaten alone i would describe as perfectly fine but not great. A lot of grocery stores have a nicer cheese section, but it's usually in a section of the store more with other small bites.
We have normal cheese here too. American cheese is a specific kind of cheese, the same way Swiss cheese is. If you ask me, American cheese is nasty, but we do have good cheese in America
American cheese has its uses. Or at least 1.
It makes a perfectly serviceable grilled cheese sandwich.
If you're talking about the cheese called "American cheese", then it's somewhat polarizing in preferences. But just like all cheeses, it's made for a very specific purpose: in this case, being amazing at melting. As a result, it's best on cheeseburgers, grilled cheese, mac and cheese, etc. But it also has a distinct, mild flavor that some don't like.
I thought the purpose of it was to do something with the milk the government garunteed it would buy from dairy farmers?
It also stabilizes cheese sauces made with other cheeses amazingly. If you cannot get a hold of pure sodium citrate, throw a single slice of American Singles into the pot. That will melt, mix in and not change the flavor at all. What it does do is make your cheese sauce stable enough you can refrigerate it, and the oil won't break out of the sauce.
I was a chef for 15 years, and a short order cook for 10
I meant cheese made/available in the US, rather than any specific type called "American cheese". But thanks for your answer
I wouldn't go eat a slice of it, but it's good on burgers.
It's cheddar fond, basically.
If it was made exclusively in France it would be considered a delicacy.
Personally I can't recognize a difference in cheese types. I'm guessing that's because I grew up on American cheese.
I mean I can tell the different textures, kind of, but it all tastes the same to me.
this is madness and I would argue it's the cheeses that you buy rather than "cheese as a whole", have you ever tried any imported cheeses? the cheaper options in a US supermarket are usually Wisconsin-made imitations that are great at being a lot cheaper than the real deal but flavor wise are just watered down imitations. I can't imagine not being able to taste the nutty umami of a Parmigiano Reggiano, the bright briny-ness of a Greek Feta, what about Smoked Gouda?? tastes more like BBQ than American cheese lol
I mean you're probably right. I don't know anything about cheese really so not sure if I've had proper imported cheese or not. But yeah, I can't relate to your flavor descriptions lol the closest is when I can taste the jalapenos they add to some cheeses (for example). This is probably why I am not particularly fond of cheese though lol
American cheese is good at being salty and creamy. It sucks in taste. Good on certain foods needing that. Burgers have been said, but I know crazies that melt a slice on a honeybun.
American cheese is just a different way to process a more shelf stable cheese. Unfortunately it loses some flavor.
Being fat and full of cheese. Bliss.
If they start trucking in cornchips and jalapenos...
Food Theory covered this: https://youtu.be/Xk4zTcQpGqo
Missouri isn't the Midwest but you are correct in that we store our uprising cheese there
It absolutely is.
Lol where else does this person think Missouri is located?
St. Louis, Columbia, Kansas City, and Springfield are civilized. The rest of the state, you're not entirely wrong. Debts paid off, we're just saving up to sell the house and expatriate as soon as feasible.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midwestern_United_States