Last week I visited a nearby restaurant with a friend, and I was pleased to note that they were overtly celebrating Grilled Cheese Month with a special grilled cheese sandwich: honey, cream cheese, and gruyere cheese on sourdough bread. I ordered it just because it was special, and I was intrigued, but I have to confess I didn't really care for it.
(Then again, I'm not a huge fan of the sweet/salty thing. I don't hate it - I'm just not a big fan.)
However, it got me thinking about the near infinite possibility with grilled cheese sandwiches. As many grilled cheeses as I have made in my life, and I have never tried cream cheese! In fact, I hardly ever mix cheeses, unless I'm running low on something. As a rule, I prefer the single-cheese sandwich. But don't let that stop you!
There is a technique to creating the perfect grilled cheese. Pre-heat your skillet to medium heat, and butter the outsides of the bread slices. Lay the bread down, butter side out, with the cheese inside. Cook it for about three minutes on each side, flipping only once. (Due to the peculiarities of my stove and my lack of interest in properly pre-heating, I cook mine for three minutes on the first side and 2.5 minutes on the second.)
Now here is the most important part: flip it onto your plate upside down, so that the hottest part of the sandwich faces up. If you slip it onto your plate with the most recently cooked side facing down, it steams against the plate and makes your sandwich soggy. DEATH TO SOGGY GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES.
Whole wheat bread is better for you, but it doesn't grill as well. Try a loaf of that crazy new "whole wheat white" bread. It has all the nutritional benefits of whole wheat, and it grills up nicely.
Thick cut sourdough and other artisan breads are delicious, but they don't grill well, either. Sometimes I will give the cheese a head start by microwaving these sandwiches for 30 seconds to melt the cheese, before I drop it onto the skillet.
I like to tuck extras into my sandwiches. Only one at a time, lest the sandwich's structural integrity and meltiness be compromised! My favorite additions are: a slice of deli meat, a thin tomato slice, thin slices of red onion, or a pickle slice.
Sauces are an under-appreciated facet of grilled cheese sandwich enjoyment. A bowl of tomato soup is the traditional accompaniment, although I must confess that I detest the stuff. Ketchup is the second most common condiment, and it is delicious.
But why stop there? I also use barbecue sauce (I am in love with Jack Daniels Classic Barbecue Sauce and I want to have its babies), steak sauce (A1 and the like), horseradish, mustard, sriracha (just a thin stripe, which I lay down over the cheese before cooking).
This thing with the sweet honey got me thinking. I love apple slices with cheddar cheese - might some thin apple slices be a good addition to grilled cheese sandwiches? I haven't tried it yet, but it's on my list. We still have a few more weeks of Grilled Cheese Month left, after all!
(Then again, I'm not a huge fan of the sweet/salty thing. I don't hate it - I'm just not a big fan.)
However, it got me thinking about the near infinite possibility with grilled cheese sandwiches. As many grilled cheeses as I have made in my life, and I have never tried cream cheese! In fact, I hardly ever mix cheeses, unless I'm running low on something. As a rule, I prefer the single-cheese sandwich. But don't let that stop you!
There is a technique to creating the perfect grilled cheese. Pre-heat your skillet to medium heat, and butter the outsides of the bread slices. Lay the bread down, butter side out, with the cheese inside. Cook it for about three minutes on each side, flipping only once. (Due to the peculiarities of my stove and my lack of interest in properly pre-heating, I cook mine for three minutes on the first side and 2.5 minutes on the second.)
Now here is the most important part: flip it onto your plate upside down, so that the hottest part of the sandwich faces up. If you slip it onto your plate with the most recently cooked side facing down, it steams against the plate and makes your sandwich soggy. DEATH TO SOGGY GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES.
Whole wheat bread is better for you, but it doesn't grill as well. Try a loaf of that crazy new "whole wheat white" bread. It has all the nutritional benefits of whole wheat, and it grills up nicely.
Thick cut sourdough and other artisan breads are delicious, but they don't grill well, either. Sometimes I will give the cheese a head start by microwaving these sandwiches for 30 seconds to melt the cheese, before I drop it onto the skillet.
I like to tuck extras into my sandwiches. Only one at a time, lest the sandwich's structural integrity and meltiness be compromised! My favorite additions are: a slice of deli meat, a thin tomato slice, thin slices of red onion, or a pickle slice.
Sauces are an under-appreciated facet of grilled cheese sandwich enjoyment. A bowl of tomato soup is the traditional accompaniment, although I must confess that I detest the stuff. Ketchup is the second most common condiment, and it is delicious.
But why stop there? I also use barbecue sauce (I am in love with Jack Daniels Classic Barbecue Sauce and I want to have its babies), steak sauce (A1 and the like), horseradish, mustard, sriracha (just a thin stripe, which I lay down over the cheese before cooking).
This thing with the sweet honey got me thinking. I love apple slices with cheddar cheese - might some thin apple slices be a good addition to grilled cheese sandwiches? I haven't tried it yet, but it's on my list. We still have a few more weeks of Grilled Cheese Month left, after all!
Photo credit: Flickr/jumbledpile