According to a food writer for the Guardian, the world's best sandwich is some kind of bizarre smashed collection of steaks and grilled mushrooms.  What?  I mean, seriously - what?  This bizarre violation of basic food handling principles ("Leave under the weights in a reasonably cool place (don't refrigerate) for at least six hours or preferably overnight") cannot possibly be the world's best sandwich.

I will tell you my personal candidate: grilled cheese.  The simplicity of the form alone should do the trick for its nomination.  The ideal grilled cheese sandwich is a combination of textures - crunchy toasted bread and creamy melted cheese.  It can also be a foil for a simple sauce - I often have mine with ketchup, or a bit of ranch dressing as a dipping sauce.

(And did you know that April is Grilled Cheese Month?  How appropriate!)

I didn't know how to make a grilled cheese until I was in my late 20s.  I had never really had them very often before then (a grilled cheese was way more cooking than my mother was willing to undertake).  So I don't have the childhood associations of comfort and rainy afternoons at the kitchen table.  But I still find them PLENTY DELICIOUS, believe you me.

How to make the best grilled cheese sandwich:

1.    The bread should be white, and sliced thin.  I am sad to say that mass market loaves of pre-sliced bread work well for this.  I find that when I try to slice my homemade bread, I can't get the slices thin enough.  If the slices are too thick, the cheese in the middle doesn't melt.

2.    My favorite cheese is a good sharp cheddar.  But any cheese will do, really.  Just make sure that it IS cheese.  Do not soil your sandwich with pasteurized processed cheese food substances like Kraft Singles.

3.    Heat a skillet to medium.  Be sure the skillet is up to full temp before you add the sandwich.  Timing is of the essence; if the sandwich sits on the skillet for too long, it will get soggy.  Or worse, scorched.  

4.    Butter one side of each slice of bread.  This will be the outsides of the sandwich.  I use the word "butter" liberally - I honestly don't think it matters if you use Store Brand Light Margarine-Like Substance or a fresh organic creamery butter.

5.    Lay a slice of bread on the skillet (butter side down), stack the cheese on it, then lay the other slice of bread (butter side up) on top.  This works better than assembling the sandwich before setting the whole thing on the skillet.   For one thing, you don't get butter all over your plate.  For another thing, there's no risk you'll fumble it and drop your cheese slices on the floor.

6.    Cook it for three minutes, then flip it and cook it for two more.  This formula is based on the fact that even though you think you've gotten your skillet up to temp, it inevitably still gets warmer as you cook.  The important part is that each side be properly browned, and neither pale and soggy nor scorched.

7.    I cannot emphasize this final point enough: SLICE DIAGONALLY.

Creative Commons-licensed image courtesy of Flickr user williamhartz