Grilled cheese

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Grilled cheese (disambiguation).
Grilled cheese sandwich
A cross-cut of a grilled cheese sandwich
Cross section of a grilled cheese sandwich
Main ingredientsCheese, bread
Ingredients generally usedButter, margarine, mayonnaise
VariationsGrilled cheese, cheese dream, cheese toastie
Other informationSometimes served with tomato soup

A toasted sandwich, grilled cheese toasted sandwich, cheese toasted sandwich , or grilled cheese is a hot sandwich (toastie) made with one or more varieties of cheese (a cheese sandwich) on bread. It is typically prepared by heating one or more slices of cheese between slices of bread, with a cooking fat such as butter, on a frying pan, griddle, or sandwich toaster, until the bread browns and the cheese melts. A grilled cheese may contain ingredients besides the bread and cheese, as long as the latter is the main focus.[1]

History[]

The cheese dream, an open-faced grilled cheese sandwich, became popular in the U.S. during the Great Depression.[2] U.S. government cookbooks describe Navy cooks broiling "American cheese filling sandwiches" during World War II.[3]

Preparation[]

A bowl of soup and a cut sandwich on a plate
A grilled cheese sandwich made with American cheese served with a bowl of tomato soup

A grilled cheese sandwich is assembled by creating a cheese filling, often cheddar, or American, between two slices of bread, and is then heated until the bread browns and the cheese melts. A layer of butter or mayonnaise is sometimes added to the outside of the bread for additional flavor and texture. Some may add additional ingredients, such as peppers, tomatoes, or onions.[4] Several different methods of heating the sandwich are used, depending on the region and personal preference. Common methods include being cooked on a griddle, fried in a pan, or made in a panini grill or sandwich toaster. This last method is more common in the United Kingdom, where the sandwiches are normally called "toasted sandwiches" or "toasties", in Australia, where they are called "jaffles" or "toasted sandwiches", and South Africa, where they are called “snackwiches”. Other methods such as baking in an oven or toaster oven, or in a toasting bag in an electric toaster, may be employed.

The sandwich is typically served as a snack or lunchtime meal, often with a side of salad, soup, french fries, or other accompaniment.

To retain the crunchiness of the bread, this grilled cheese sandwich is set on its end. It is made of sharp cheddar cheese, walnut bread, and butter.

Retail[]

Some restaurants, food carts and food trucks in the United States specialize in the grilled cheese sandwich. The Grilled Cheese Grill restaurants were a combination of reclaimed vehicle and food cart restaurants that focus on gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches in Portland, Oregon.[5] The Grilled Cheese Truck is an American food truck company serving gourmet "chef driven" grilled cheese sandwiches.[6] The company started in Los Angeles, California in 2009, and has since expanded throughout Southern California, Phoenix, San Antonio and Austin.[6] The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen is a restaurant in San Francisco, California that specializes in the sandwich.[7]

In pop culture[]

  • The Guinness World Record for the most expensive, commercially available sandwich is held by a $214 grilled cheese sandwich, the "Quintessential Grilled Cheese", by Serendipity 3 in New York, USA.[8]
  • The film The Devil Wears Prada features a scene in which the character Nate prepares a grilled cheese with "eight dollars of Jarlsberg."
  • The film Chef features an extended scene where the eponymous protagonist eats a grilled cheese.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Andrea Beck (February 6, 2019). "When Does a Grilled Cheese Sandwich Stop Being a Grilled Cheese?". Better Homes & Gardens. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  2. ^ Marty Meitus (January 3, 1999). "Old faithful grilled cheese, a depression-era standby, has returned". Rocky Mountain News. During the Depression, when Sunday Night Suppers became a popular way to entertain, the cheese dream began to appear on dining tables from coast to coast.
  3. ^ Olver, Lynne. "Food Timeline — history notes: sandwiches". The Food Timeline. Retrieved March 18, 2008.
  4. ^ "50 Grilled Cheese". Photographs by Andrew Purcell. Food Network. Retrieved May 1, 2016.CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. ^ Edge, J.T. (2012). The Truck Food Cookbook: 150 Recipes and Ramblings from America's Best Restaurants on Wheels. Workman Publishing Company. p. 198. ISBN 978-0-7611-7118-8.
  6. ^ a b Elliott, F. (2015). Los Angeles Street Food: A History from Tamaleros to Taco Trucks. American Palate. Arcadia Publishing Incorporated. p. 102. ISBN 978-1-62585-516-9.
  7. ^ Wilkey, Robin (May 17, 2013). "SF's Grilled Cheese King On The Perfect Sandwich". HuffPost. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  8. ^ "Most expensive sandwich". Guinness World Records. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
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