In Search of Great Grilled Cheese

Ah, grilled cheese!  It’s one of America’s favorite comfort foods.  And what could be better than cheese between two slices of bread, cooked on a griddle until the crust is a buttery, crunchy, golden brown and the cheese is melted to gooey perfection.  And yet, if the grilled cheese is loved by so many, why do so few restaurants have one on their menu?  And of those that do, why is it done so poorly or even banished to the kid’s menu?

But, some places do make good grilled cheese and a few restaurants even specialize in this great comfort food.  My quest is to find these shining examples of culinary simplicity and bring them to your attention.  I will taste the grilled cheese offered on different menus and weed out the not so good until I find those that stand out.  Maybe I will find one of your favorites.

Now, what makes a great grilled cheese?  It involves more than just putting any old cheese on some kind of bread and heating it up.  It takes the right combination of ingredients cooked in just the right way to make an exceptional sandwich.

First of all, it takes the right type of cheese, as not all cheeses make a good grilled cheese.  The cheese has got to melt well, so many of the harder cheeses just will not work well in the sandwich.  Making a grilled cheese with just parmesan, for instance, will not yield a great grilled cheese, as parmesan is just too dry and crumbly.  Now, that’s not to say that good parmesan could not be part of the sandwich, just that it should not be the primary cheese.

Second, the bread has to be right.  The crust should not be hard or too chewy.  Softer breads tend to make the best grilled cheese, especially good artisan breads.  But, it can't be too light and airy either; it has to have a good density.  And the bread shouldn’t be so thick that it overshadows the cheese.  The ratio should be right.

Finally, the sandwich has to be cooked right.  There has to be some sort of fat involved.  Toasting the sandwich in a dry skillet just doesn’t give you a great grilled cheese.  However, using some butter, or even mayonnaise, will give you that great rich crust that marks a truly exceptional sandwich.  And it has to be cooked long enough, a light browning just won’t do, especially if the cheese isn’t properly melted, which is essential for a great grilled cheese.

Wait a minute, you might say!  I like some bacon or a slice of tomato on my grilled cheese.  Hey, so do I sometimes, but the classic sandwich only has the bread and cheese cooked with some fat.  But, what if you do want the other ingredients?  No problem, just don’t let the other stuff turn your sandwich into something else.  After all, the classic Reuben has bread and cheese and is grilled in some fat, but I doubt anyone would say it’s just a type of grilled cheese.  Neither would anyone would say the patty melt is just another type of grilled cheese.  Granted, there is a fine line between a grilled cheese with ham and a grilled ham with cheese, but the star should be the cheese for a great grilled cheese.

So, now that we know what makes a great grilled cheese, come with me while I try to find some great examples.  And, if you know of a great one, let me know and I'll check it out!!