This is a very cheesy story about the resurgence of a favorite grilled sandwich.
Most of us have fond memories of the classic our mothers used to make – a slice of American cheese melted between two slices of white bread. Margarine, not butter, was the grease of choice for a crisp exterior.
The results, always so warm and comforting, might as well be imprinted on our DNA.
Wait. You need a recipe? Truth is, I felt a bit silly searching for recipes. I mean, who on Earth – OK, this country at least – doesn’t know how to make grilled cheese?
Then I found a recipe for Bachelor Grilled Cheese: Pop two pieces of white bread into a toaster, brown; insert two slices of cheese, wrap sandwich in a paper towel and microwave for 15 or 20 seconds until cheese is melted.
It’s not that hard to butter bread and cook it in a pan on the stove. Still, 90 fans of allrecipes.com rated the Bachelor recipe with 4 and 3/4 stars out of a possible 5.
We can’t all eat grilled cheese in the comfort of our own homes if we’re ever going to get this economy pumping again, so some clever chefs are trying to lure us out the door with, you guessed it, lots of melted cheese.
From the American Grilled Cheese Kitchen in San Francisco to Cheeseboy in Boston and the in-between Feelgood in Austin, Texas, grilled cheese restaurants are hot.
Why would chefs feel compelled to put their stamp on the Simple Simon of sandwiches?
Uncomplicated foods can elicit some of the greatest debate, according to Laura Werlin, a cheese expert and author of “Grilled Cheese, Please!” Should you use cheese slices or grated cheese? Thick or thin bread? Butter or margarine, mustard or mayo, olive oil or vegetable oil? Salt or no salt? An additional filling or just a combination of cheeses?
Thanks to a steady supply of artisanal breads and farmstead cheeses, Americans are clearly ripe for more on the subject.
“Grilled cheese, the movement, has arrived,” says Werlin.
For a printable copy of the recipes, click the links:
Awesome Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Mozzarella with Crispy Prosciutto and Broccoli Rabe
