The joy of a small and perfect thing
November 3, 2023 4:27 PM Subscribe
Love this. Sending it to a friend who loves grilled cheese and never gets a lemon off his lemon tree because the possums eat the rind off first.
posted by EvaDestruction at 4:36 PM on November 3, 2023
posted by EvaDestruction at 4:36 PM on November 3, 2023
never gets a lemon off his lemon tree because the possums eat the rind off first
There is a dystopian metaphor contained within this sentence but I am as of yet unable to entirely detangle how all the pieces fit together.
posted by hippybear at 4:39 PM on November 3, 2023 [11 favorites]
There is a dystopian metaphor contained within this sentence but I am as of yet unable to entirely detangle how all the pieces fit together.
posted by hippybear at 4:39 PM on November 3, 2023 [11 favorites]
This Toastie place is near me and regularly breaks destroys my diet.
#stillworthit
posted by BigCalm at 4:44 PM on November 3, 2023
#stillworthit
posted by BigCalm at 4:44 PM on November 3, 2023
I just finished a grilled cheese for dinner, 20 minutes ago.
Buttered oat-nut bread, 2 slices of Swiss, 2 slices of provolone, and a little extra grated mix.
Had a good grill-ness tonight, something I don't always achieve.
posted by MtDewd at 5:00 PM on November 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
Buttered oat-nut bread, 2 slices of Swiss, 2 slices of provolone, and a little extra grated mix.
Had a good grill-ness tonight, something I don't always achieve.
posted by MtDewd at 5:00 PM on November 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
I have had great grilled cheese sandwiches and I have had greater grilled cheese sandwiches.
posted by jacquilynne at 5:00 PM on November 3, 2023 [13 favorites]
posted by jacquilynne at 5:00 PM on November 3, 2023 [13 favorites]
I made a grilled cheese for lunch today specifically because I saw this post. Talia's always great but today I appreciate her just a little extra.
posted by Pope Guilty at 5:13 PM on November 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Pope Guilty at 5:13 PM on November 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
This is maybe weird but ... how do people here make grilled cheese?
I just sort of taught myself without input and don't really know of any orthodoxy, but I'm a fan of orthodoxies at least as a starting point. Mine always end up a little burnt before the cheese is melty enough.
posted by kensington314 at 5:20 PM on November 3, 2023
I just sort of taught myself without input and don't really know of any orthodoxy, but I'm a fan of orthodoxies at least as a starting point. Mine always end up a little burnt before the cheese is melty enough.
posted by kensington314 at 5:20 PM on November 3, 2023
I don't understand how a paean to grilled cheese can fail to mention dipping the triangles in thick tomato soup with parsley. The prime comfort food when I was young and poor was grilled American cheese on white bread, dipped in Campbell's tomato soup. I can't eat that now because gluten (in both bread and soup), but I do remember it and do miss it.
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:20 PM on November 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:20 PM on November 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
The sandwich was made by putting a shedload of butter on one side of two slices of white bread then putting one slice in a very hot cast iron pan until it started to blacken around the edges, then put a couple slices of American cheese on it and the other slice of bread and flip it and cook the other side until it begins to blacken (or the cheese starts to run). If you try to cook it from the start assembled, the cheese will get too melty and drip out before it's done cooking.
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:23 PM on November 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:23 PM on November 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
I too am a self-taught grilled cheese cook. I was a super picky eater as a kid and decided I hated them because I could not stand the texture of American cheese. Still can't! And so I never learned, and despite eventually starting to tolerate other, less nasty, forms of cheese, there was a blind spot in my worldview.
Fast forward to me in the pandemic, age 47, having never cooked a grilled cheese in my life. But I had learned to cook in general, and I did most of the cooking at home. There was a day where we had bread, and butter, and cheese, and from somewhere I got the idea to give it a try, just out of boredom or something. I put the first one down in front of my housemate of several years, unannounced. She looked at it, astounded. "Is that a grilled cheese? Have you been holding out on me?" It was well-received even as a first try.
posted by notoriety public at 5:31 PM on November 3, 2023 [11 favorites]
Fast forward to me in the pandemic, age 47, having never cooked a grilled cheese in my life. But I had learned to cook in general, and I did most of the cooking at home. There was a day where we had bread, and butter, and cheese, and from somewhere I got the idea to give it a try, just out of boredom or something. I put the first one down in front of my housemate of several years, unannounced. She looked at it, astounded. "Is that a grilled cheese? Have you been holding out on me?" It was well-received even as a first try.
posted by notoriety public at 5:31 PM on November 3, 2023 [11 favorites]
I was given a grilled cheese sandwich this week. One of the counter people at the café where I often drink a coffee in the afternoon – but don't usually eat – had put mayo on a nascent g.c.s. just as another customer said she didn't want mayo. So the cook asked me if I wanted a g.c.s., gratis.
They make their g.c.s.'s in a panini press at the café. If I make one at home I use my old iron pan, watching carefully till it's nicely singed but not burned. The results from the panini press were blander, or maybe I should've requested it well done?
Still, a free g.c.s., what's not to like?
posted by zadcat at 5:33 PM on November 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
They make their g.c.s.'s in a panini press at the café. If I make one at home I use my old iron pan, watching carefully till it's nicely singed but not burned. The results from the panini press were blander, or maybe I should've requested it well done?
Still, a free g.c.s., what's not to like?
posted by zadcat at 5:33 PM on November 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
the trick I learned for making a grilled cheese taste like it was cooked in a diner: garlic salt
posted by taquito sunrise at 5:37 PM on November 3, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by taquito sunrise at 5:37 PM on November 3, 2023 [5 favorites]
I too made a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch because of this post. Mine had goat cheddar, pepper jack, and chevre, with a bit of lamb salami, on homemade multi-grain bread. The goat cheddar didn't melt very well, but it was very tasty.
My method is to spread mayo on the exterior, assemble it all in the pan, and then put a lid on the frying pan with the burner on very very low, and then flip it once. Takes a while but I can generally avoid burning the bread.
posted by suelac at 5:46 PM on November 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
My method is to spread mayo on the exterior, assemble it all in the pan, and then put a lid on the frying pan with the burner on very very low, and then flip it once. Takes a while but I can generally avoid burning the bread.
posted by suelac at 5:46 PM on November 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
This is maybe weird but ... how do people here make grilled cheese?
My luxury Grilled Cheese is as follows:
Get a nice loaf of good quality bread, slice a couple pieces somewhere between 1/2" and 3/4" thick - pretty chonky.
Butter the outside generously.
Layer on your cheese. I typically use cheddar, a stretchy alpine cheese, some blue cheese, and a bit of parmesan. Thin slices are better; an ostehøvel* is my tool of choice for the cheddar and alpine cheeses.
Cook it in a covered skillet on medium heat. The cover traps the heat to help the cheese melt, but doesn't speed up the browning process. Not doing lots of other stuff while it cooks and checking regularly is the best way to keep from burning it, but if you're practiced you can, for instance, prepare other grilled cheeses, and remember when to check in on it.
Cut it at a nice angle, and serve.
If you want to add some kind of fancy mustard or something similar, do that before cooking. If you want to add tomato, or any other fresh vegetables, do that after cooking.
* allow me to cheesplain: it's a cheese plane.
posted by aubilenon at 5:49 PM on November 3, 2023 [15 favorites]
My luxury Grilled Cheese is as follows:
Get a nice loaf of good quality bread, slice a couple pieces somewhere between 1/2" and 3/4" thick - pretty chonky.
Butter the outside generously.
Layer on your cheese. I typically use cheddar, a stretchy alpine cheese, some blue cheese, and a bit of parmesan. Thin slices are better; an ostehøvel* is my tool of choice for the cheddar and alpine cheeses.
Cook it in a covered skillet on medium heat. The cover traps the heat to help the cheese melt, but doesn't speed up the browning process. Not doing lots of other stuff while it cooks and checking regularly is the best way to keep from burning it, but if you're practiced you can, for instance, prepare other grilled cheeses, and remember when to check in on it.
Cut it at a nice angle, and serve.
If you want to add some kind of fancy mustard or something similar, do that before cooking. If you want to add tomato, or any other fresh vegetables, do that after cooking.
* allow me to cheesplain: it's a cheese plane.
posted by aubilenon at 5:49 PM on November 3, 2023 [15 favorites]
the trick I learned for making a grilled cheese taste like it was cooked in a diner: garlic salt
herbamare or aussie-style chicken salt also work well, at least if you accept the whitetrashfulness of a plain-old gcs with store-brand american cheez
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 5:49 PM on November 3, 2023
herbamare or aussie-style chicken salt also work well, at least if you accept the whitetrashfulness of a plain-old gcs with store-brand american cheez
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 5:49 PM on November 3, 2023
garlic salt
We use garlic powder so as not to overload on salt.
This is maybe weird but ... how do people here make grilled cheese?
Somewhere back in my lineage, at least including but likely before my dad's dad (whom I never got to meet, having passed away in the 60s), my family started putting jam or jelly on top of the finished grilled cheese sandwich. Never a lot...just a light smear. The combination of sweet and salty is heavenly, and nearly everyone we've introduced it to has never gone back. Homemade jams are great, of course, but sometimes the diner's concord grape jelly in a single-serving plastic thing is just right.
And earlier this summer, my 5-year-old asked to put honey on top instead of the usual jam and now periodically switches between which topping she prefers.
posted by msbrauer at 5:50 PM on November 3, 2023 [6 favorites]
We use garlic powder so as not to overload on salt.
This is maybe weird but ... how do people here make grilled cheese?
Somewhere back in my lineage, at least including but likely before my dad's dad (whom I never got to meet, having passed away in the 60s), my family started putting jam or jelly on top of the finished grilled cheese sandwich. Never a lot...just a light smear. The combination of sweet and salty is heavenly, and nearly everyone we've introduced it to has never gone back. Homemade jams are great, of course, but sometimes the diner's concord grape jelly in a single-serving plastic thing is just right.
And earlier this summer, my 5-year-old asked to put honey on top instead of the usual jam and now periodically switches between which topping she prefers.
posted by msbrauer at 5:50 PM on November 3, 2023 [6 favorites]
To me, the Stereotypical Barbie of grilled cheese sandwiches is white sandwich bread, margarine on the outside, two layers of kraft singles on the inside. I virtually never make them like that as a grown-up because I eat none of those things anymore and thus I never have them in the house, but to me, any other grilled cheese is just a variation on that core concept. Not an improvement, just a variation.
These days, the only bread I eat regularly is keto bread and it is only good if it is toasted or grilled, so I eat a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches. I make them with either butter or mayo, depending on whether my butter is soft enough to spread and fill them with whatever cheese I have handy, which is often cheap havarti or expensive cheddar. Sometimes I use both.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:07 PM on November 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
These days, the only bread I eat regularly is keto bread and it is only good if it is toasted or grilled, so I eat a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches. I make them with either butter or mayo, depending on whether my butter is soft enough to spread and fill them with whatever cheese I have handy, which is often cheap havarti or expensive cheddar. Sometimes I use both.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:07 PM on November 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
I love grilled cheese in all of its forms. Part of the beauty is how interesting switching up the bread or the cheese can be. As the author says, perfect in its simplicity.
I have a great food memory of the grilled cheese sandwiches we got in my 5th grade school cafeteria, where the sandwiches were made en masse, on vast aluminum trays in the oven. Just plain old white bread and American cheese, but in the oven the bread hardened into crostini-like edges, with a soft, molten middle. I really think 75% of the joy of grilled cheese is textural.
posted by amusebuche at 6:23 PM on November 3, 2023 [6 favorites]
I have a great food memory of the grilled cheese sandwiches we got in my 5th grade school cafeteria, where the sandwiches were made en masse, on vast aluminum trays in the oven. Just plain old white bread and American cheese, but in the oven the bread hardened into crostini-like edges, with a soft, molten middle. I really think 75% of the joy of grilled cheese is textural.
posted by amusebuche at 6:23 PM on November 3, 2023 [6 favorites]
My grilled cheese recipe is simple: don’t skimp on the ingredients – nice bread, real cheese, and be patient. I use cast iron on medium low heat (it’s seasoned so you don’t need to butter it), put both slices of bread in until it starts to brown, flip it, add cheese and put the other slice on top. Lift it and put a thin slice / bit of grated cheese underneath, wait until that’s crispy, flip, and repeat for the other side.
I tend to combine cheeses to pair a good melting cheese with a strong flavor but a good Gouda or Havarti dill will be fine on its own. Aged cheddar, Manchengo, or Parmesan goes really well on the outside. Less aged cheddar with good brown mustard works well inside, optionally with thinly sliced apples or pickled onions.
posted by adamsc at 6:29 PM on November 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
I tend to combine cheeses to pair a good melting cheese with a strong flavor but a good Gouda or Havarti dill will be fine on its own. Aged cheddar, Manchengo, or Parmesan goes really well on the outside. Less aged cheddar with good brown mustard works well inside, optionally with thinly sliced apples or pickled onions.
posted by adamsc at 6:29 PM on November 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
I too made a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch because of this post. Mine had goat cheddar, pepper jack, and chevre, with a bit of lamb salami, on homemade multi-grain bread. The goat cheddar didn't melt very well, but it was very tasty. - suelac
I feel that I need to come over and explore your fridge/pantry.
I like all of the items that could possibly go in a gourmet grill cheese sandwich but for some reason the sum of the parts does not appeal. My grill cheese sandwiches are simple and very much not gourmet: whatever bread we have (usually not fancy white), butter on the outside, whatever store brand or inexpensive cheese is in the fridge, and...um, grill it in a pan until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown. Sometimes, rarely I might put some grated parmesan inside or outside. Even more rarely I might put some ham inside. That's it.
posted by ashbury at 6:31 PM on November 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
I feel that I need to come over and explore your fridge/pantry.
I like all of the items that could possibly go in a gourmet grill cheese sandwich but for some reason the sum of the parts does not appeal. My grill cheese sandwiches are simple and very much not gourmet: whatever bread we have (usually not fancy white), butter on the outside, whatever store brand or inexpensive cheese is in the fridge, and...um, grill it in a pan until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown. Sometimes, rarely I might put some grated parmesan inside or outside. Even more rarely I might put some ham inside. That's it.
posted by ashbury at 6:31 PM on November 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
The way I was taught to make a grilled cheese is to butter both sides of both slices of bread (which can be a messy task).
Cook both slices in pan until toasted, flip, add cheese, cover the pan, cook some more. Uncover, stick the two slices together, cook a bit more, serve, eat. Then, take a nap.
posted by swift at 6:58 PM on November 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
Cook both slices in pan until toasted, flip, add cheese, cover the pan, cook some more. Uncover, stick the two slices together, cook a bit more, serve, eat. Then, take a nap.
posted by swift at 6:58 PM on November 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
Suelac's comment made me go order lamb salami.
My grilled cheese this week is toasted (homemade!) bread with lots of caramelized onions and thin slices of gruyere. Dipped into freshly made cream of tomato soup. It's pretty sloppy though.
posted by goofyfoot at 7:28 PM on November 3, 2023
My grilled cheese this week is toasted (homemade!) bread with lots of caramelized onions and thin slices of gruyere. Dipped into freshly made cream of tomato soup. It's pretty sloppy though.
posted by goofyfoot at 7:28 PM on November 3, 2023
You can save yourself a bit of time and trouble by skipping the bread-buttering, and instead melting a pat of butter in a heated frying pan, then mopping up the melted butter with the first slice of bread, then assembling the rest of the sandwich on top of that right in the pan.
This approach can especially simplify things if you're exploring the use of other fats, like olive oil. Which can work well, especially if you're using complimentary-flavor inclusions (tomato slices, basil) in the sandwich.
posted by Western Infidels at 7:28 PM on November 3, 2023 [6 favorites]
This approach can especially simplify things if you're exploring the use of other fats, like olive oil. Which can work well, especially if you're using complimentary-flavor inclusions (tomato slices, basil) in the sandwich.
posted by Western Infidels at 7:28 PM on November 3, 2023 [6 favorites]
Here to say
* love this piece
* try grating the cheese, if that is not your SOP already,
* and putting kimchi in there
posted by german_bight at 7:29 PM on November 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
* love this piece
* try grating the cheese, if that is not your SOP already,
* and putting kimchi in there
posted by german_bight at 7:29 PM on November 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
At first they called it iSnack 2.0, a new recipe for vegemite with a name designed to piss everyone right off. They landed on CheesyBite for a while before settling on Vegemite with Cheese, which is when I decided to try it. It sucks though, it's some kind of cream cheese. A genuine Vegemite and cheese sandwich needs a slice of real cheese.
Just put that in a sandwich press for a minute. It doesn't have to be any more complicated than that. I see people gilding the lily here. No, let it be pure and true.
posted by adept256 at 7:36 PM on November 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
Just put that in a sandwich press for a minute. It doesn't have to be any more complicated than that. I see people gilding the lily here. No, let it be pure and true.
posted by adept256 at 7:36 PM on November 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
No grilled cheese I've had is as good as the Royal Grille from The Fountain on Locust. It's made with white cheddar, mozzarella, Fuji apple slices, and magic.
posted by Foosnark at 7:45 PM on November 3, 2023
posted by Foosnark at 7:45 PM on November 3, 2023
But Vegemite and Cream Cheese could be good, I think. I just am not sure if it's a grilled cheese item. Maybe it's simply spread on toast.
posted by hippybear at 7:51 PM on November 3, 2023
posted by hippybear at 7:51 PM on November 3, 2023
Cheese in a pan, cook, place between two pieces of bread. If you're supposed to grill the bread, why's it called a grilled cheese sandwich?
For real though: grilled salty/umami cheese (sharp cheddar and block Parm are great here), low heat, a couple thin slices straight on the pan, cooked until browned & crispy. In order to solidify the cheese, you need to pour off the oil as it cooks, otherwise the cheese will burn before it can be extracted. Do not overcook: Prod the edges until you feel it hit the stiffening point, then remove immediately. Place as a slab in the center of the gcs, which you prepare (with additional cheese) using one of the methods described above. I cover the pan, use a low medium heat, and leave a finger-width cheeseless rim for the mass to melt into. I will sometimes add pressed garlic, but usually I leave the center unspiced. Condiments are for dipping.
posted by ptfe at 7:58 PM on November 3, 2023
For real though: grilled salty/umami cheese (sharp cheddar and block Parm are great here), low heat, a couple thin slices straight on the pan, cooked until browned & crispy. In order to solidify the cheese, you need to pour off the oil as it cooks, otherwise the cheese will burn before it can be extracted. Do not overcook: Prod the edges until you feel it hit the stiffening point, then remove immediately. Place as a slab in the center of the gcs, which you prepare (with additional cheese) using one of the methods described above. I cover the pan, use a low medium heat, and leave a finger-width cheeseless rim for the mass to melt into. I will sometimes add pressed garlic, but usually I leave the center unspiced. Condiments are for dipping.
posted by ptfe at 7:58 PM on November 3, 2023
For me grilled cheese is a high floor low ceiling food. It's always solid, even when a little greasy she under melted, but, at least so far, never so mind blowing for me. For my partner though, it's the opposite. Bad grilled cheeses are the pits, but a good one of lights out.
posted by Carillon at 8:20 PM on November 3, 2023
posted by Carillon at 8:20 PM on November 3, 2023
I had a tomato sandwich on homemade bread for dinner with the last of the tomatoes harvested Tuesday in advance of the first frost, but now I'm wishing I had made grilled cheese instead.
Also I have to put tomato soup on the grocery list. I make it with milk, usually, but stopped buying milk last year after the oat milk thread. Y'all think it would be okay with oat milk? Or will I have to use water?
posted by ob1quixote at 8:29 PM on November 3, 2023
Also I have to put tomato soup on the grocery list. I make it with milk, usually, but stopped buying milk last year after the oat milk thread. Y'all think it would be okay with oat milk? Or will I have to use water?
posted by ob1quixote at 8:29 PM on November 3, 2023
Last gcs i had, i cooked it over a fire pit in a campground out in the hinterlands beyond cell range (this particular spot only about 1km from cell range, but still). Burnt the bottom pretty good before turning, so made sure to burn the other side a bit as well. It was still good, even more so after I spoont some salsa on it.
My favoite method involved pan-loaf bread (i.e. not a boule) in a square pan. Use no oil and an unreasonable amount of cheese. Cook on low heat with a bowl or something heavy to press down on the sandwich whilst the bottom cooks. By the time the bottom starts to brown, the cheese should start leaking out. Take the weight off and pinball the sammich around in the pan in order to squish the melted cheese up against the crusty edges of the bread. Turn the pan this way and that to cook the edge cheese. Now flip and keep cooking, still at low heat. Repeat the pinball process as needed.
You should end up with a rim of cooked cheese all round the edge, with still a proper amount of melty in the middle. Hence starting with an unreasonable amount. You like cheese, don't ya?
Anyway that's my favorite method but there are so many good ones!
posted by Rev. Irreverent Revenant at 9:55 PM on November 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
My favoite method involved pan-loaf bread (i.e. not a boule) in a square pan. Use no oil and an unreasonable amount of cheese. Cook on low heat with a bowl or something heavy to press down on the sandwich whilst the bottom cooks. By the time the bottom starts to brown, the cheese should start leaking out. Take the weight off and pinball the sammich around in the pan in order to squish the melted cheese up against the crusty edges of the bread. Turn the pan this way and that to cook the edge cheese. Now flip and keep cooking, still at low heat. Repeat the pinball process as needed.
You should end up with a rim of cooked cheese all round the edge, with still a proper amount of melty in the middle. Hence starting with an unreasonable amount. You like cheese, don't ya?
Anyway that's my favorite method but there are so many good ones!
posted by Rev. Irreverent Revenant at 9:55 PM on November 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
I’ve been leaning on grilled cheese for lunch more (maybe a fall thing?) and this article is such a nice read. My main recent sandwich tweaks have been to (a) use ghee on the outside and (b) sometimes throw prosciutto and/or salami in the middle between slices of cheese.
posted by rivenwanderer at 10:28 PM on November 3, 2023
posted by rivenwanderer at 10:28 PM on November 3, 2023
This is maybe weird but ... how do people here make grilled cheese?
Butter (this should be salted butter) each side of the bread. Grill one side in a heavy pan until just beginning to crisp. Flip, and add thin slices of cheese* to each piece of bread on the toasted side- it will melt faster on the already toasted bread. Cover the pan and wait for the cheese to begin to melt into the bread, then flip one of the pieces of cheesy bread onto the other, cheese sides together. Continue to grill uncovered so the sandwich doesn't steam up, flipping when the bottom is golden brown. If cheese flows out and crisps on the griddle that is pretty much perfection. Serve with dill pickles.
*I like cheddar- the sharpest cheddar that will still melt properly. Occasionally I mix it up with cheddar and a good monterey jack. Sometimes the thinnest swipe of mustard or marmite seems appropriate, but it must be thin. Cotswold is a flavorful variation but I mostly like my grilled cheese to be a cheddar celebration.
**I once tried making a grilled cheese using mayonnaise on the outside and felt like a whole chump for believing the hype. It was flavorless on the outside! It should be crispy, salty, and browned.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:35 PM on November 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
Butter (this should be salted butter) each side of the bread. Grill one side in a heavy pan until just beginning to crisp. Flip, and add thin slices of cheese* to each piece of bread on the toasted side- it will melt faster on the already toasted bread. Cover the pan and wait for the cheese to begin to melt into the bread, then flip one of the pieces of cheesy bread onto the other, cheese sides together. Continue to grill uncovered so the sandwich doesn't steam up, flipping when the bottom is golden brown. If cheese flows out and crisps on the griddle that is pretty much perfection. Serve with dill pickles.
*I like cheddar- the sharpest cheddar that will still melt properly. Occasionally I mix it up with cheddar and a good monterey jack. Sometimes the thinnest swipe of mustard or marmite seems appropriate, but it must be thin. Cotswold is a flavorful variation but I mostly like my grilled cheese to be a cheddar celebration.
**I once tried making a grilled cheese using mayonnaise on the outside and felt like a whole chump for believing the hype. It was flavorless on the outside! It should be crispy, salty, and browned.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:35 PM on November 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
Why you do this to me when I’m dieting? Why?
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 10:54 PM on November 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 10:54 PM on November 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
Also I have to put tomato soup on the grocery list. I make it with milk, usually, but stopped buying milk last year after the oat milk thread. Y'all think it would be okay with oat milk? Or will I have to use water?
I have a vegan tomato soup in a dry package that looks like cup noodles*. It contains no additives and uses peas for thickening, so I think a home cook could easily reverse-engineer it. The ingredient list says: 70% dry pea flakes, 11 % (dry) tomatoes, 5 % dry bean flakes + seasonings (I'm not entirely happy with the balance of the seasoning, too much basil, so I think you should do this to taste: salt, onion (powder), paprika, basil, chili (powder), cumin, sugar and (dry) red beet). In other words, it's like a daal with a lot of tomato and a bit more liquid in it. For a more Heinz-like taste, I'd add a spoonful of tomato paste. If you can't get toor dal (split pigeon peas), maybe you can get yellow split peas, it would be different but still yummy, and more like my cup soup.
*the soup was part of a push to buy more Ukrainian products, to support the country, but no-one wanted the unfamiliar package. So in the end, I bought the whole remaining stock, for days where I worry about what food will be available wherever I am working. The mushroom soup is excellent. The tomato soup is OK.
posted by mumimor at 1:45 AM on November 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
I have a vegan tomato soup in a dry package that looks like cup noodles*. It contains no additives and uses peas for thickening, so I think a home cook could easily reverse-engineer it. The ingredient list says: 70% dry pea flakes, 11 % (dry) tomatoes, 5 % dry bean flakes + seasonings (I'm not entirely happy with the balance of the seasoning, too much basil, so I think you should do this to taste: salt, onion (powder), paprika, basil, chili (powder), cumin, sugar and (dry) red beet). In other words, it's like a daal with a lot of tomato and a bit more liquid in it. For a more Heinz-like taste, I'd add a spoonful of tomato paste. If you can't get toor dal (split pigeon peas), maybe you can get yellow split peas, it would be different but still yummy, and more like my cup soup.
*the soup was part of a push to buy more Ukrainian products, to support the country, but no-one wanted the unfamiliar package. So in the end, I bought the whole remaining stock, for days where I worry about what food will be available wherever I am working. The mushroom soup is excellent. The tomato soup is OK.
posted by mumimor at 1:45 AM on November 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
The toasted sandwich (as we call it in these parts) is best made having buttered the bread on the outside. Browned milk solids make a difference. I used to make them in a pan but we own a toasted sandwich maker now (again, local term for what others call a sandwich press ). I'm generally against "single-tasker" kitchen gadgets but the sandwich press sees a lot of use.
You can still get toasted sandwiches at fast food joints here, although they're not as common as they used to be. Some would go for the hamburger and fries after a hard night out but a cheese and onion toasted sandwich is glorious. (But adding tinned pineapple is a step too far).
There is also a lot to be said for the Jaffle Iron and the result, "toasties", a close cousin of the toasted sandwich/grilled cheese. Despite the elegaic tone of the Guardian article, many variants in cast iron are available. Popular in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa I believe. You want a fire or a gas stove for them to work well though.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 2:09 AM on November 4, 2023
You can still get toasted sandwiches at fast food joints here, although they're not as common as they used to be. Some would go for the hamburger and fries after a hard night out but a cheese and onion toasted sandwich is glorious. (But adding tinned pineapple is a step too far).
There is also a lot to be said for the Jaffle Iron and the result, "toasties", a close cousin of the toasted sandwich/grilled cheese. Despite the elegaic tone of the Guardian article, many variants in cast iron are available. Popular in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa I believe. You want a fire or a gas stove for them to work well though.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 2:09 AM on November 4, 2023
>You can still get toasted sandwiches at fast food joints here, although they're not as common as they used to be. Some would go for the hamburger and fries after a hard night out but a cheese and onion toasted sandwich is glorious.
Does NZ McDonalds have toasties on the menu? I left Aus almost 20 years ago but they introduced them not long before I left, perfect for waiting in the cab queue at the end of a night out. I don't think UK Maccas has them.
posted by goo at 2:45 AM on November 4, 2023
Does NZ McDonalds have toasties on the menu? I left Aus almost 20 years ago but they introduced them not long before I left, perfect for waiting in the cab queue at the end of a night out. I don't think UK Maccas has them.
posted by goo at 2:45 AM on November 4, 2023
Alas no. The biggest concession to local foodways we ever see is occasional "Kiwiburger" promotions with beetroot slices.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 2:52 AM on November 4, 2023
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 2:52 AM on November 4, 2023
When I said "fast food joints" I meant the kind of locally owned, small business place that might still have a hand-painted menu above the counter.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 2:54 AM on November 4, 2023
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 2:54 AM on November 4, 2023
The earliest evidence of cheesemaking in the archaeological record dates back to 5500 BCE and is found in what is now Kuyavia, Poland, where strainers coated with milk-fat molecules have been found. (wikipedia)
The oldest evidence of bread-making has been found in a 14,500-year-old Natufian site in Jordan's northeastern desert. (wikipedia)
The oldest grilled cheese could be 7000 years old. Or more. There must have been a first one. It would have been in the neolithic. Before stone henge, before the pyramids. Neanderthals and mammoths were not long gone. They had bread, they had cheese, they had fire, they had imagination. They took a bite, and it was good.
posted by adept256 at 3:01 AM on November 4, 2023 [7 favorites]
The oldest evidence of bread-making has been found in a 14,500-year-old Natufian site in Jordan's northeastern desert. (wikipedia)
The oldest grilled cheese could be 7000 years old. Or more. There must have been a first one. It would have been in the neolithic. Before stone henge, before the pyramids. Neanderthals and mammoths were not long gone. They had bread, they had cheese, they had fire, they had imagination. They took a bite, and it was good.
posted by adept256 at 3:01 AM on November 4, 2023 [7 favorites]
Make your grilled cheese sandwich however suits, but up it one messy level of extra tastyness by tossing a wee pat of butter in the pan and then sprinkling a light coat of real grated parmesan on that, then placing the bread/cheese/bread combo of your choice ontop of that. When flipping time comes, repeat the grated parmesan procedure prior to toasting the next side. It's a greasy tasty crispy yum
posted by mightshould at 3:19 AM on November 4, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by mightshould at 3:19 AM on November 4, 2023 [4 favorites]
> When I said "fast food joints" I meant the kind of locally owned, small business place that might still have a hand-painted menu above the counter.
The best kind!
> When flipping time comes, repeat the grated parmesan procedure prior to toasting the next side. It's a greasy tasty crispy yum
Completely agree, this is the way.
posted by goo at 3:25 AM on November 4, 2023
The best kind!
> When flipping time comes, repeat the grated parmesan procedure prior to toasting the next side. It's a greasy tasty crispy yum
Completely agree, this is the way.
posted by goo at 3:25 AM on November 4, 2023
Cheese in a pan, cook, place between two pieces of bread. If you're supposed to grill the bread, why's it called a grilled cheese sandwich?
You're assuming that the noun that "grilled" is modifying is "cheese". But the noun that "grilled" is modifying is "cheese sandwich". Imagine one day someone made themselves a simple plain cheese sandwich and then had the idea "I know...lemme try FRYING this thing."
The prime comfort food when I was young and poor was grilled American cheese on white bread, dipped in Campbell's tomato soup.
Me too. One of my favorite stories about a former roommate from when I was younger was that one day I'd come home from grocery shopping; there'd been a sale on tomato soup, and I'd gotten about 3 cans to stock up and just have it on hand. My roommate came home when I was unpacking the groceries, took one look at the stack of cans on the counter, and immediately walked over to me and gave me a big hug and asked "what happened?"
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:31 AM on November 4, 2023 [9 favorites]
You're assuming that the noun that "grilled" is modifying is "cheese". But the noun that "grilled" is modifying is "cheese sandwich". Imagine one day someone made themselves a simple plain cheese sandwich and then had the idea "I know...lemme try FRYING this thing."
The prime comfort food when I was young and poor was grilled American cheese on white bread, dipped in Campbell's tomato soup.
Me too. One of my favorite stories about a former roommate from when I was younger was that one day I'd come home from grocery shopping; there'd been a sale on tomato soup, and I'd gotten about 3 cans to stock up and just have it on hand. My roommate came home when I was unpacking the groceries, took one look at the stack of cans on the counter, and immediately walked over to me and gave me a big hug and asked "what happened?"
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:31 AM on November 4, 2023 [9 favorites]
Cheese and bread. Maybe some hamburger dill pickles.
Pop slices of bread in the toaster. Layer cheese and pickles on the toast on a microwave-safe plate. Top with more toast.
Nuke for 22 seconds (sometimes I add more cheese partway through).
Done, no extra oil or grease. Just melted cheese on an appropriate delivery surface.
Also, I had a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich yesterday. This is what happens when I skip reading the Blue.
posted by TrishaU at 6:06 AM on November 4, 2023
Pop slices of bread in the toaster. Layer cheese and pickles on the toast on a microwave-safe plate. Top with more toast.
Nuke for 22 seconds (sometimes I add more cheese partway through).
Done, no extra oil or grease. Just melted cheese on an appropriate delivery surface.
Also, I had a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich yesterday. This is what happens when I skip reading the Blue.
posted by TrishaU at 6:06 AM on November 4, 2023
I wanted to say that if you've only ever had the kind of American cheese that comes individually wrapped — especially only the cheap stuff — the American cheese you can get from the deli counter is vastly superior. I thought it was all the same until one day I decided to see what America's Test Kitchen thought. They recommend the Boar's Head and it really is head-and-shoulders above everything else. You can get it pre-sliced in the dairy case, but it's cheaper from the deli if you can get that.
posted by ob1quixote at 6:56 AM on November 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by ob1quixote at 6:56 AM on November 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
I was in Provincetown two weeks ago and had one presented like this (Grilled Cheese Gallery), but mine had bacon as well. They're big on presentation, as befits a gallery.
how do people here make grilled cheese?
I remember this AskMe had a lot of suggestions.
I had never tryed mayo before instead of butter- found it OK, but still prefer butter. I also have been looking around here for Red Leicester for years, still unsuccessfully.
(I should have asked the person with 18 pounds of it...)
posted by MtDewd at 6:59 AM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
how do people here make grilled cheese?
I remember this AskMe had a lot of suggestions.
I had never tryed mayo before instead of butter- found it OK, but still prefer butter. I also have been looking around here for Red Leicester for years, still unsuccessfully.
(I should have asked the person with 18 pounds of it...)
posted by MtDewd at 6:59 AM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
I use a griddle rather than a pan. Place bread on griddle, low heat, to toast the inner sides. Publican bakery makes a seeded rye that is fantastic, flavorful and so aromatic. Apply melted butter to the bread facing up, then flip so it sizzles on the griddle. Layer slices of cheese, onion, apple, jalapeno, more cheese, then place bread on top (buttered side out). Squish it together with a flipper, making a "squishy" sound so it holds. Use a griddle cover or vaulted pan lid to trap heat. My partner really piles it on, so often cheese puddles out the sides and forms a crispy crust, and that is very good.
For many other mind blowing grilled cheese variations-- like brie and jam on brioche, omg brunch heaven-- check out both this site, Fromagination, and this book Great Grilled Cheese.
posted by winesong at 7:16 AM on November 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
For many other mind blowing grilled cheese variations-- like brie and jam on brioche, omg brunch heaven-- check out both this site, Fromagination, and this book Great Grilled Cheese.
posted by winesong at 7:16 AM on November 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
Mayo mayo mayo mayo mayo.
Put a thin layer of some good spicy mustard on each slice.
Grate some sharp cheddar or Cotswold and put a nice mound of that one one slice.
Slap the two halves together.
Slather some mayonnaise on the outside of one slice.
Melt a little butter in the pan
Over medium heat, cook the sandwich mayo side down in the pan. Check every so often to make sure the underside isn't getting too dark.
While that's cooking, carefully spread some mayo on the remaining side.
Carefully flip the sandwich with a spatula. I like to pick it up with the spatula, then pick up the pan and hold it upside down over the sandwich. In one motion, flip what you've got in both hands.
Cook some more. Use the spatula to press down on the top and hopefully spread that cheese out.
Et voilà.
posted by emelenjr at 8:28 AM on November 4, 2023
Put a thin layer of some good spicy mustard on each slice.
Grate some sharp cheddar or Cotswold and put a nice mound of that one one slice.
Slap the two halves together.
Slather some mayonnaise on the outside of one slice.
Melt a little butter in the pan
Over medium heat, cook the sandwich mayo side down in the pan. Check every so often to make sure the underside isn't getting too dark.
While that's cooking, carefully spread some mayo on the remaining side.
Carefully flip the sandwich with a spatula. I like to pick it up with the spatula, then pick up the pan and hold it upside down over the sandwich. In one motion, flip what you've got in both hands.
Cook some more. Use the spatula to press down on the top and hopefully spread that cheese out.
Et voilà.
posted by emelenjr at 8:28 AM on November 4, 2023
A cast iron or other large burger press, or failing that a heavy pan as a weight on top, makes a big difference. Use medium heat, go slow and patient, push down with some extra manual pressure from time to time.
Towards the end, you can squish in a circular motion from the middle outwards which will more evenly distribute the meltedest parts. If it's your bag, at this point you can also squish a bit of cheese out into the pan and then cook this crisp onto the outside of the bread.
posted by protorp at 8:47 AM on November 4, 2023
Towards the end, you can squish in a circular motion from the middle outwards which will more evenly distribute the meltedest parts. If it's your bag, at this point you can also squish a bit of cheese out into the pan and then cook this crisp onto the outside of the bread.
posted by protorp at 8:47 AM on November 4, 2023
This post has really made me want a grilled cheese. Then I looked at the other sandwiches and want to try them all. Yes, even the fried brain sandwich. The rest of the site looks really good too; I might pony up for a subscription!
posted by TedW at 8:50 AM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by TedW at 8:50 AM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
When I was in kindergarten and would visit my best friend's house, her mother would make us tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. Over the years I've stayed in touch with my friend but hadn't seen her parents in decades when one day I was meeting my friend at her parents' house. Her mother had made lunch for me- tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches- and I just about burst into tears from happiness.
Those sandwiches are the type specimen of grilled cheese for me: margarine, white bread and cheddar. COVID made me revisit grilled cheese, and I use butter or mayo with whole wheat, but the intent is the same: love in a frying pan.
posted by acrasis at 8:55 AM on November 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
Those sandwiches are the type specimen of grilled cheese for me: margarine, white bread and cheddar. COVID made me revisit grilled cheese, and I use butter or mayo with whole wheat, but the intent is the same: love in a frying pan.
posted by acrasis at 8:55 AM on November 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
Growing up we never grilled the grilled cheese sandwich. Butter two slices of wheat bread (we never had white bread. And actually it was Country Crock margarine). Put butter side down. Add two slices of American cheese. Add the other slice of bread butter side up. And then pop it in the toaster oven until the cheese is melted
posted by downtohisturtles at 10:08 AM on November 4, 2023
posted by downtohisturtles at 10:08 AM on November 4, 2023
I too grew up on the white bread and Kraft slices GCS. theses days I do not eat them often, but we did just have it a few nights ago (with some soup) but whole grain bread and gouda. it was goooooda!
posted by supermedusa at 10:15 AM on November 4, 2023
posted by supermedusa at 10:15 AM on November 4, 2023
No no no nothing. There are three ingredients: butter, shitty square white bread, two slices of Kraft Singles. After 40+ years of attempts, I'd say my perfect stovetop crispy golden-brown exterior, dried out rest-of-the-bread-slice, melted cheese hit rate is maybe 40% (always burnt, or the color is right but the bread is still bready). A griddle would allow me the temperature control to achieve consistency, but where's the fun in that? Every time I make a grilled cheese on the stove for someone I feel like I'm living the end of Big Night.
Coincidentally, just this week I was on the hunt for a Pullman pan to make the perfect square bread.
posted by rhizome at 10:36 AM on November 4, 2023
Coincidentally, just this week I was on the hunt for a Pullman pan to make the perfect square bread.
posted by rhizome at 10:36 AM on November 4, 2023
Put two slices of bread in the toaster. When they pop up, butter them heavily, put plenty of cheese in between, and microwave for 30 seconds. Turn the sandwich over so that the surface that got all damp from sitting on the microwave carousel is now on top. Spread tomato sauce all over it. Way more delicious than anything so obviously barbaric has any right to be.
posted by flabdablet at 10:50 AM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by flabdablet at 10:50 AM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
I have a built in griddle on my stove. I butter one side of each slice, put them on the griddle separately and add cheese to both slices. Scootch them around occasionally. Slap them together and eat. Both slices grilled to perfection and you can see when the cheese is perfectly melty.
posted by kathrynm at 11:11 AM on November 4, 2023
posted by kathrynm at 11:11 AM on November 4, 2023
The earliest evidence of cheesemaking in the archaeological record dates back to 5500 BCE and is found in what is now Kuyavia, Poland
Alas, they probably made a zapiekanka instead. It's surprisingly hard to get things to fry with primitive equipment, but if you have bread you have an oven already. (I like mine with paper thin raw garlic slices under the cheese - by the time the bread toasts and cheese melts under the oven grill, the garlic is just cooked.) Technically a grilled cheese variety, I guess.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 11:25 AM on November 4, 2023
Alas, they probably made a zapiekanka instead. It's surprisingly hard to get things to fry with primitive equipment, but if you have bread you have an oven already. (I like mine with paper thin raw garlic slices under the cheese - by the time the bread toasts and cheese melts under the oven grill, the garlic is just cooked.) Technically a grilled cheese variety, I guess.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 11:25 AM on November 4, 2023
I did not like melted cheese as a child, so lack the nostalgia factor. Nevertheless, I do enjoy a good grilled cheese now. I have cheddar and winter spice bacon in the house - what other cozy ingredient should I add to a grilled cheese this week, I wonder as I doodle out a shopping list...
If you liked this piece, and have room in your headspace for a less comforting sandwich read, I thought Lavin's recent entry on the Gatsby was very good.
Also I have to put tomato soup on the grocery list. I make it with milk, usually, but stopped buying milk last year after the oat milk thread. Y'all think it would be okay with oat milk? Or will I have to use water?
Judging by the number of oatmilk tomato soup recipes I've seen online, I reckon you'll be fine using it. My preferred tomato soup recipe actually only uses a little cream at the end, but I think I might try swapping that out for a plant based sub this time around and expect it to work fine.
posted by the primroses were over at 11:46 AM on November 4, 2023
If you liked this piece, and have room in your headspace for a less comforting sandwich read, I thought Lavin's recent entry on the Gatsby was very good.
Also I have to put tomato soup on the grocery list. I make it with milk, usually, but stopped buying milk last year after the oat milk thread. Y'all think it would be okay with oat milk? Or will I have to use water?
Judging by the number of oatmilk tomato soup recipes I've seen online, I reckon you'll be fine using it. My preferred tomato soup recipe actually only uses a little cream at the end, but I think I might try swapping that out for a plant based sub this time around and expect it to work fine.
posted by the primroses were over at 11:46 AM on November 4, 2023
My only adds are that grated cheese melts better. Thinly sliced shallots are a nice compliment.
posted by mmascolino at 12:44 PM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by mmascolino at 12:44 PM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
Being a Brit I had no idea... to me, grilled cheese uses the grill, which I guess is a broiler in the US. What you're making is *fried* cheese sandwiches.
posted by 43rdAnd9th at 1:02 PM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by 43rdAnd9th at 1:02 PM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
Based on my Mastodon poll with 50 respondents so far, about 40% of people who got grilled cheese sandwiches as kids also got tomato soup. Love to see a geographical breakdown.
posted by seanmpuckett at 1:02 PM on November 4, 2023
posted by seanmpuckett at 1:02 PM on November 4, 2023
Did my food shopping tonight and bought tomato soup, bread and sliced cheddar and I hold you all responsible…
posted by koahiatamadl at 1:50 PM on November 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by koahiatamadl at 1:50 PM on November 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
I wasn't paying close enough attention and missed the chance to get tickets to the Strasburg, VA Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Festival this weekend. Will have to address my grilled cheese cravings created by this thread with a visit to Grilled Cheese Mania this week!
posted by JennyJupiter at 1:54 PM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by JennyJupiter at 1:54 PM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
Being a Brit I had no idea... to me, grilled cheese uses the grill, which I guess is a broiler in the US. What you're making is *fried* cheese sandwiches.
A pretty standard part of restaurant cooking equipment in the US is the flat-top grill, which is a giant flat hot surface that is used for frying things. These are very common in the sorts of diners in which one might order a grilled cheese sandwich. I'm not sure if that's where it got its name, but that's certainly implied by some [Wikipedia]. It's surprisingly modern for a sandwich, only about 100 years old!
posted by hippybear at 2:22 PM on November 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
A pretty standard part of restaurant cooking equipment in the US is the flat-top grill, which is a giant flat hot surface that is used for frying things. These are very common in the sorts of diners in which one might order a grilled cheese sandwich. I'm not sure if that's where it got its name, but that's certainly implied by some [Wikipedia]. It's surprisingly modern for a sandwich, only about 100 years old!
posted by hippybear at 2:22 PM on November 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
the trick I learned for making a grilled cheese taste like it was cooked in a diner: garlic salt
I am eating a grilled cheese sandwich made with garlic salt RIGHT NOW and it's wonderful. Thank you for this.
posted by Pope Guilty at 3:30 PM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
I am eating a grilled cheese sandwich made with garlic salt RIGHT NOW and it's wonderful. Thank you for this.
posted by Pope Guilty at 3:30 PM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
What a fantastic website - go take a look at his article about Gerber sandwiches for a slightly different spin on things.
posted by Vatnesine at 4:11 PM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Vatnesine at 4:11 PM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
Haha. I just finished a grilled cheese for dinner as well, thanks to this post. With garlic salt, which was indeed tasty. Thank you!!
posted by gemmy at 4:25 PM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by gemmy at 4:25 PM on November 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'm making grilled cheese for dinner tonight, entirely unconnected with this thread. But I'm going to add garlic salt, and am not going to tell husbear why this sandwich might be better than previous ones.
posted by hippybear at 4:28 PM on November 4, 2023 [5 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 4:28 PM on November 4, 2023 [5 favorites]
> jam or jelly on top of the finished grilled cheese sandwich. Never a lot...just a light smear. The combination of sweet and salty is heavenly
> grilled salty/umami cheese (sharp cheddar and block Parm are great here), low heat, a couple thin slices straight on the pan, cooked until browned & crispy. In order to solidify the cheese, you need to pour off the oil as it cooks
I must second these excellent recommendations, suggest sweet chilli jam, and as an environmental measure remind that bread can be fried in any excess cheese oil.
posted by lucidium at 5:05 PM on November 4, 2023
> grilled salty/umami cheese (sharp cheddar and block Parm are great here), low heat, a couple thin slices straight on the pan, cooked until browned & crispy. In order to solidify the cheese, you need to pour off the oil as it cooks
I must second these excellent recommendations, suggest sweet chilli jam, and as an environmental measure remind that bread can be fried in any excess cheese oil.
posted by lucidium at 5:05 PM on November 4, 2023
Did my food shopping tonight and bought tomato soup, bread and sliced cheddar and I hold you all responsible…
My own grocery shopping is slated for tomorrow and I already have bread and DIY tomato soup fixings in the house, along with some really good butter. Sliced cheese is all I would need.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:07 PM on November 4, 2023
My own grocery shopping is slated for tomorrow and I already have bread and DIY tomato soup fixings in the house, along with some really good butter. Sliced cheese is all I would need.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:07 PM on November 4, 2023
This is not a great recipe. It is probably not grilled cheese. But it works and no pans or panini presses are dirtied.
Toast two slices of Seattle Sourdough bread (preferably from the center of the round loaf, to maximize length). Lay the toasted bread side by side on a microwave safe plate. Optionally butter both slices. Lay two slices of Tillamook cheddar cheese on each slice. Add other ingredients on top of the cheese if desired. Microwave for 15-20 seconds, until cheese is melted all over the bread.
If nothing else, this will hopefully inspire the eater to make a real grilled cheese next time.
posted by lhauser at 6:50 PM on November 4, 2023
Toast two slices of Seattle Sourdough bread (preferably from the center of the round loaf, to maximize length). Lay the toasted bread side by side on a microwave safe plate. Optionally butter both slices. Lay two slices of Tillamook cheddar cheese on each slice. Add other ingredients on top of the cheese if desired. Microwave for 15-20 seconds, until cheese is melted all over the bread.
If nothing else, this will hopefully inspire the eater to make a real grilled cheese next time.
posted by lhauser at 6:50 PM on November 4, 2023
I can tell you that if you keep microwaving, the cheese will brown and fry and the bread will go dry and crispy. If you can catch it before it lights on fire, it's delicious.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 7:48 PM on November 4, 2023
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 7:48 PM on November 4, 2023
Definitely put thin slices of tomato and onion in with the cheese, I think it's called a California sandwich? Just don't rush eating it until the tomato has cooled a bit.
Mayo or butter is nice on the outside but I prefer margarine or other oil honestly (less moisture).
And +1 to using real sour sourdough like Boudin's. What a sandwich!
posted by anthill at 7:22 AM on November 5, 2023
Mayo or butter is nice on the outside but I prefer margarine or other oil honestly (less moisture).
And +1 to using real sour sourdough like Boudin's. What a sandwich!
posted by anthill at 7:22 AM on November 5, 2023
Definitely put thin slices of tomato and onion in with the cheese
See, I'm telling you, you're better off cooking it without the tomato and then peeling open the sandwich and adding it in afterwards. The tomato has a lot of moisture, and thus will soak up a lot of heat, making it harder to melt the cheese. And when you've peeled the cooked sandwich apart, both slices of bread have a prophylactic layer of melted cheese that will keep the tomato juice from soaking in and making the bread all soggy. In addition to all that, it means you don't have to wait as long for it to cool before eating it.
posted by aubilenon at 10:04 AM on November 5, 2023 [1 favorite]
See, I'm telling you, you're better off cooking it without the tomato and then peeling open the sandwich and adding it in afterwards. The tomato has a lot of moisture, and thus will soak up a lot of heat, making it harder to melt the cheese. And when you've peeled the cooked sandwich apart, both slices of bread have a prophylactic layer of melted cheese that will keep the tomato juice from soaking in and making the bread all soggy. In addition to all that, it means you don't have to wait as long for it to cool before eating it.
posted by aubilenon at 10:04 AM on November 5, 2023 [1 favorite]
Just to throw a "Is a hot dog a sandwich?" monkey wrench into the works, I want y'all to know I made Josephinas last weekend. And y'all? A Josephinas is a perfect bite of food.
I didn't have the right ingredients, so I had to substitute pickled jalapenos for the Hatch chiles, and I only had my usual "Mexican blend" cheese I keep on hand for Taco Tuesday and Quesadilla Thursday. I also baked them on 425°F convection for 11 minutes instead of broiling.
Regardless, what came out of that oven was so good I'm back in this thread to tell y'all about it so you'll try it. Really and truly one of the best things I ever ate. The way the butter and mayo infuse into the bread and make the bottom and crust just shatteringly crispy? 👩🍳🤌💋
posted by ob1quixote at 11:08 AM on November 5, 2023 [1 favorite]
I didn't have the right ingredients, so I had to substitute pickled jalapenos for the Hatch chiles, and I only had my usual "Mexican blend" cheese I keep on hand for Taco Tuesday and Quesadilla Thursday. I also baked them on 425°F convection for 11 minutes instead of broiling.
Regardless, what came out of that oven was so good I'm back in this thread to tell y'all about it so you'll try it. Really and truly one of the best things I ever ate. The way the butter and mayo infuse into the bread and make the bottom and crust just shatteringly crispy? 👩🍳🤌💋
posted by ob1quixote at 11:08 AM on November 5, 2023 [1 favorite]
Regardless, what came out of that oven was so good I'm back in this thread to tell y'all about it so you'll try it. Really and truly one of the best things I ever ate.
I have a recipe for a very similar dish - I only make this in serves-one quantities. You need two slices of white bread, an egg, and like a half-cup to a cup of shredded cheese. The recipe also says to add a bit of mustard but I've used a drift of cayenne instead. You beat the egg, mix in the cheese and the cayenne/mustard, and then you lay the bread slices on a tray and spread the egg/cheese gludge on top and throw that under the broiler (or if you're me, you fling it in your toaster oven) until the top browns and bubbles just a bit.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:18 AM on November 5, 2023
I have a recipe for a very similar dish - I only make this in serves-one quantities. You need two slices of white bread, an egg, and like a half-cup to a cup of shredded cheese. The recipe also says to add a bit of mustard but I've used a drift of cayenne instead. You beat the egg, mix in the cheese and the cayenne/mustard, and then you lay the bread slices on a tray and spread the egg/cheese gludge on top and throw that under the broiler (or if you're me, you fling it in your toaster oven) until the top browns and bubbles just a bit.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:18 AM on November 5, 2023
Toast two slices of Seattle Sourdough bread (preferably from the center of the round loaf, to maximize length). Lay the toasted bread side by side on a microwave safe plate. Optionally butter both slices. Lay two slices of Tillamook cheddar cheese on each slice. Add other ingredients on top of the cheese if desired. Microwave for 15-20 seconds, until cheese is melted all over the bread.
This sounds somewhat similar to my college/early 20s invention, Cheesy Toast. Come home tipsy from a night out. Toast two pieces of bread. Because you are smart, you have a toaster oven instead of a regular toaster, so after the bread is nicely toasted, take it out and put it in the toaster oven tray. Put butter (if you have any) and shredded or sliced cheese on top, and put it back in the toaster oven on bake or broil setting until the cheese is melted. Mmmm, Cheesy Toast.
posted by misskaz at 4:14 PM on November 5, 2023
This sounds somewhat similar to my college/early 20s invention, Cheesy Toast. Come home tipsy from a night out. Toast two pieces of bread. Because you are smart, you have a toaster oven instead of a regular toaster, so after the bread is nicely toasted, take it out and put it in the toaster oven tray. Put butter (if you have any) and shredded or sliced cheese on top, and put it back in the toaster oven on bake or broil setting until the cheese is melted. Mmmm, Cheesy Toast.
posted by misskaz at 4:14 PM on November 5, 2023
However, if there is a risk you will pass out and burn your apartment down, put the toaster oven on the toast setting to melt the cheese, because that shuts off automatically.
posted by misskaz at 4:15 PM on November 5, 2023
posted by misskaz at 4:15 PM on November 5, 2023
In the topic of Josephinas/spicy grilled cheese, I feel that India’s Chili Cheese Toast deserves a mention, which usually includes chiles, tomatoes and onions.
posted by zamboni at 7:10 PM on November 5, 2023
posted by zamboni at 7:10 PM on November 5, 2023
It is excellent that MetaFilter maintains this noble tradition of regular discussion around the topic of the cheese sandwich. A post and thread from 2018, where most of the links still seem to work.
posted by Wordshore at 6:13 AM on November 28, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Wordshore at 6:13 AM on November 28, 2023 [3 favorites]
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