Grilled cheese
_(cropped).jpg) Cross section of a grilled cheese sandwich | |
| Place of origin | Multiple origins |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | Cheese, bread |
| Ingredients generally used | Butter, margarine, mayonnaise |
| Variations | Cheese dream |
| Other information | Traditionally served with tomato soup |
A grilled cheese, sometimes known as a toasted sandwich, cheese toastie (UK), or jaffle (AU), is a hot cheese sandwich typically prepared by heating slices of cheese between slices of bread with a cooking fat such as butter or mayonnaise on a frying pan, griddle, or sandwich toaster, until the bread browns and the cheese melts. Despite its name, the sandwich is rarely prepared through grilling; it is most often pan-fried.
History
[edit]The 1861 English recipe book Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management includes a recipe for placing sandwiches of brown bread and butter with 1⁄2-inch (13 mm) slices of "a nice fat Cheshire or any good rich cheese" into an oven, and serving when the bread becomes toasted.[1]
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
[edit]
A grilled cheese sandwich is made by placing a cheese filling, often cheddar or American cheese, between two slices of bread, which is then heated until the bread browns and the cheese melts. A layer of butter or mayonnaise is usually added to the outside of the bread for additional flavor and texture. Alternatives may include additional ingredients such as peppers, tomatoes, or onions.[4]
A grilled cheese may also be made in a sandwich toaster, particularly in the United Kingdom where the dish is normally called a toasted cheese sandwich or cheese toastie.[5]
Retail
[edit]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 focused on gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches in Portland, Oregon.[6] The Grilled Cheese Truck is an American food truck company serving gourmet "chef driven" grilled cheese sandwiches.[7]
Microwavable frozen toasted sandwiches are available in supermarkets in a variety of locations. One example is the McCain Micro Toastie, which was launched in supermarkets in the UK in 2002.[8]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ Beeton, Isabella Mary (1861). The Book of Household Management. London : S.O. Beeton. p. 817. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Olver, Lynne. "Food Timeline — history notes: sandwiches". The Food Timeline. Retrieved March 18, 2008.
- ^ "50 Grilled Cheese". Food Network. Archived from the original on April 30, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ Naylor, Tony (March 13, 2014). "Break out the Breville: it's time for a toastie". The Guardian. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "McCain poised to launch first microwaveable toastie". Marketing Week. September 26, 2002. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
