[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.

 

[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.

 

[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?