One company’s obsessive, decade-long quest to make American cheese that’s actually cheese

Bad, yet still pretty good, American cheese refuses to expire—and not just because of all the preservatives.

American cheese—pasteurized, processed, and super-melty—is, for better or worse, arguably the 20th century’s most iconic food product. And yes, “pasteurized, processed cheese food” is what federal regulators call it instead of “cheese.” It is a paradox embraced shamelessly by some of the most elite food names around.

From Salt Fat Acid Heat author Samin Nosrat (“I have a secret love of American cheese...