Funny Name: What Kind of Cheese, Now?

Chicken and Artichoke Casserole doesn't sound too crazy, right? Why would I choose this recipe from Cotton Country Collection (The Junior Charity League of Monroe, Louisiana, copyright 1972, but mine is from the 1979 ninth printing) for a funny name post? Well, check out the ingredients.

What's that after the Gruyère or Swiss cheese? Is rat cheese made from rat milk? Is it uneaten cheese recovered from rat traps? Is it cheese that has been laboriously crafted into a rat shape and then disassembled for use in this recipe?

Of course it's nothing that interesting. It's just a name for cheap cheese, especially domestic cheddar if dictionary.com knows what it's talking about. I'm bummed that rat cheese is not nearly as entertaining as I thought, but I'm still happy to know the term.