[ready freddy]

Hello my fellow cooks!

I am a grilled cheese makin machine, usuallly eating three at a time, .....and still be hungry,...hahahaha

-i butter all my bread
-put the sanwich in a pan
-flip it a few times till its crunchy.

Have found that american, meunster and provolone are a great combination!!!

What is the best grilled cheese for you? What kind of tricks do you have?

Lol........i like to give my little dog a bite and watch her lick the melted cheese off the roof of her mouth.......hahahahah.....then i call her liplicker

 

[koukouvagia]

I prefer country bread, not the pre sliced stuff in a bag. Any cheese will do but I prefer provolone and emmentaler and ham. Butter both sides and let it cook slowly without pressing it.

 

[mike9]

Grilled cheese is one of three uses for white bread.  I melt butter in the pan, dip the top slice in, then put the put the sandwich in  - now the top is buttered so you just have to flip it.  I like 'merican, swiss, and something soft like pepper jack.  I like bacon on mine too - booya!!

 

[cerise]

Mozzarella  en Carrozza (Mozzarella in a carriage).  Dredge mozzarella sandwiches in flour, beaten egg w/ s&p, milk, and fry in oil.  Serve with marinara sauce on the side, for dipping.

 

[pete]

In general, I have absolutely no use for American cheese, especially those pre wrapped slices, but when it comes to grilled cheese it's all about the sliced white bread (prefer texas toast thickness) and the American Cheese.  Cook over medium heat to get a nice golden brown, crunchy crust with a soft, creamy interior.  It helps if you slightly press it while cooking it.  Maybe it's because it reminds me of childhood, but I often crave these.

That being said, I will occasionally make some off-the-fall grilled cheese concotations.  I am partically fond of using potato bread with dill havarti and smoked salmon.

Which brings me to my next question/point-a few weeks ago, while listening to "The Sporkful"-a food podcast, there was a discussion about the tipping point of when you add too much to a grilled cheese and it no longer is a grilled cheese, but some other sandwich.  What's your take on it-when is a grilled cheese, with additions, no longer a grilled cheese.

 

[koukouvagia]

It doesn't matter what you put I it. As long as it is grilled and it has cheese it is a grilled cheese. And as long as you don't open it after and add stuff to it. Assemble and grill, that's it.

 

[pete]

It doesn't matter what you put I it. As long as it is grilled and it has cheese it is a grilled cheese. And as long as you don't open it after and add stuff to it. Assemble and grill, that's it.

I disagree. By your definition a Rueben or a Patty Melt would be a Grilled Cheese and they aren't, at least in my opinion.

 

[cerise]

In general, I have absolutely no use for American cheese, especially those pre wrapped slices, but when it comes to grilled cheese it's all about the sliced white bread (prefer texas toast thickness) and the American Cheese. Cook over medium heat to get a nice golden brown, crunchy crust with a soft, creamy interior. It helps if you slightly press it while cooking it. Maybe it's because it reminds me of childhood, but I often crave these.

That being said, I will occasionally make some off-the-fall grilled cheese concotations. I am partically fond of using potato bread with dill havarti and smoked salmon.

Which brings me to my next question/point-a few weeks ago, while listening to "The Sporkful"-a food podcast, there was a discussion about the tipping point of when you add too much to a grilled cheese and it no longer is a grilled cheese, but some other sandwich. What's your take on it-when is a grilled cheese, with additions, no longer a grilled cheese.

When I first read the title of the thread, I took it to mean "Grilled Cheese Sandwiches." My interpretation is meltable cheese between two slices of bread. Growing up, the bread was never actually "grilled." It's a good idea, though, & would be interesting as to how the term "grilled" came about.

My grandmother used government cheese between two slices of bread, buttered the skillet, added some weight (a plate etc.), and flipped it over.

I've seen many variations on the sandwich, ranging from adding a plethora of ingredients to a "grilled cheese" sandwich, to grilled cheese croutons served in tomato soup.

I think the dish is subject to interpretation, and changing it up to suit ones taste & what's in the fridge.

Re Mozzarella en Carozza, you could press toasted pine nuts into the Mozzarella, or add some lemon juice to the beaten eggs, or add some fresh basil.

It would be interesting to see the origin of the term "Grilled Cheese." I'm sure you will find many variations of same.

 

[alaminute]

I think it's hilarious were discussing the semantics of a grilled cheese! Good eats has this to say: http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/02/best-grilled-cheese-sandwich-recipe-variations.html

 

[cheflayne]

I would imagine the term grilled cheese came about from restaurants using flattops to produce them.

I have no supporting evidence, merely flights of fantasy down the twisted corridors of my cranium.

Sandwich Shop Grill

 

[cerise]

I think it's hilarious were discussing the semantics of a grilled cheese! Good eats has this to say: http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/02/best-grilled-cheese-sandwich-recipe-variations.html

Threads like these do pick up a lot of traffic and discussion. ;-)

Re Good Eats, think you may be referring to Alton Brown (a Chef), as opposed to Serious Eats (a food blog).

White bread was the bread of choice. Don't know where the term "grilled" came from. We used a skillet.

 

[kuan]

All I can say is, soak the bread in butter.    

No, don't, it'll kill you on the spot.  But a good amount of butter helps.

 

[koukouvagia]

I disagree. By your definition a Rueben or a Patty Melt would be a Grilled Cheese and they aren't, at least in my opinion.

So if you make a grilled cheese and add ham it's a grilled cheese. But if you make a grilled cheese and add a burger patty it is not a grilled cheese?

I happen to think these are all a type of grilled cheese sandwich. Call it what you like, it's still a grilled cheese with some extra stuff in it.

 

[pete]

KK, if you have never listened to the podcast "The Sporkful" you should.  It's pretty funny and one of Dan Pashman's passions is looking at how we eat food, and if there are better ways to eat things, but he also gets into strange and silly conversations about things related to food, such as a recent discussion about "shower beers"-drinking a beer while taking a shower-which lead to discussions about eating in the shower-and yes, it seems to be bigger thing than I realized.  Recently on one of the episodes it came back to grilled cheese and when is a grilled cheese no longer a grilled cheese-a topic that has come up before.  Some are on the side that once it reaches a certain proportion where the "other stuff" exceeds the cheese then it is no longer a grilled cheese, others say that once the cheese becomes secondary in importance then it no longer is a grilled cheese and some other kind of sandwich.  A few slices of bacon, or a tomato, or a slice or 2 of ham and, IMHO, it is still a grilled cheese, but a big beef patty and a bunch of grilled onions, or a mound of corned beef, sauerkraut and dressing, then it is no longer a "grilled cheese but some other kind of sandwich.  Yes, it is all semantics, but it's a fun discussion anyway.

So your opinion is that no matter how much other stuff is in, as long as it is grilled and has cheese then it is a grilled cheese sandwich.  What about a quesadilla? What about a cheeseburger where the bun has been toasted on a grill or flat top?

 

[cerise]

Here you go. Grilled Cheese Sandwiches the Benny and Joon Way:

http://www.southphillyblocks.org/photos_essays/grilled_cheese/

ETA - Disclaimer: It's not an authentic grilled cheese sandwich, because they didn't use an ironing board, as was done in the film. lol

 

[koukouvagia]

I've listened to several of the shows.  I prefer to listen to America's Test Kitchen podcast but yes I find them entertaining.  I'm sure they had a lot to say about the grilled cheese sandwich.  Growing up I thought of a grilled cheese as just cheese and nothing else.  It wasn't until I moved to NY and saw the add-on options at the diner that I began to expand my view of the grilled cheese.  I would have to agree that adding so many things that the ingredients overcome the cheese I wouldn't necessarily call it a grilled cheese but I do think it still is technically a grilled cheese because the point of grilling this sandwich, no matter how many filings it has, is to crisp the bread and melt the cheese.

 

[kuan]

KK has a point.  You can make any kind of sandwich but if the cheese and the bread aren't right it's gonna be pretty much a two soggy pieces of white dough with couple slices of cheese and stuff in between.

 

[koukouvagia]

I was massively disappointed once when I visited Carnegie Deli (now closed) years ago. I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich and was given a bizarre multiple decker sandwiches with gobs of American cheese. The top and bottom slices were grilled but everything in between was raw. It was unforgivable.

 

[alaminute]

Good call @Cerise. I googled grilled cheese trying to find some definitive answer, but I let my excitement and hubris get the better of me.

 

[flipflopgirl]

What about http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/croque-monsieur ?

The article terms it a grilled cheese but I don't agree.

mimi