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How to Serve Cheese

Serving a variety of cheeses before dinner, after dinner, or as horsdoeuvres, makes an elegant and tasty snack. With very little preparation, a chees...More

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The Cheese Lover's Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Submitted by Resident Cheesemonger

A grilled cheese sandwich was the first real thing I learned to cook growing up. Made with the kid favorite- American cheese, the occasional slice of ham, and wheat bread, I just had to learn to cook it for myself so that I didn't have to bug my dad to make it all the time. As an adult, I still appreciate a perfectly grilled cheese sandwich, but I tend to prefer more interesting cheeses. For other cheese lovers out there, here are some wonderful grilled cheese suggestions to satisfy your warm melty cheese cravings.

First off, let me just emphasize that any good grilled cheese sandwich starts with good bread and real butter. I tend to prefer milder breads so that I can focus my palate on the cheese flavor instead, but a well-made fresh bread is important. Also, it's a good idea to cook your grilled cheese sandwich on a nice, low temperature. This slower method can be extremely frustrating in the face of your hunger, but, like many things, it's well worth the wait!

The most important thing to remember cheese-wise, is that a good grilled cheese sandwich needs to be made with a cheese which melts easily and well. That being said, here are some suggestions.

• Cheddar: While perhaps not the most creative choice for a grilled cheese sandwich, cheddar has long been chosen because it works beautifully. The only caution with using cheddar cheese on your sandwich is that you want to avoid using too much as it can easily become overpowering, particularly if you're pairing it with other ingredients, like ham or tomatoes. I find aged cheddar makes a particularly scrumptuous treat.

• Gruyere, Swiss, Jarlsberg, Fontina, Muenster: These highly meltable cheeses all make a great grilled cheese sandwich. Gruyere, particularly aged gruyere, can really contribute toward a delightfully flavorful sandwich. The French have known this for a long time, making the ever popular Croque Monsieur, a ham and melted cheese (typically gruyere) sandwich (and the Croque Madame which also includes a fried egg on top).

• Provolone, Havarti with Dill: Many people swear by Provolone for a grilled cheese sandwich, but I find it to be too mild (unless perhaps I have a strong bread that I just need cheese to hold together!). If you're into a milder cheese for your sandwich, try using Havarti cheese with dill in it. This has a nice, mild, but still tasty flavor.

• Smoked Gouda: It's smoky; it's Dutch; it's creamy and smooth. What's not to like? Smoked gouda can be excellent on a grilled cheese sandwich, paired with anything from tomatoes or grilled eggplant to ham to apple or pear slices.

• Pepper Jack, Blue Cheese, Goat Cheese: If you prefer a grilled cheese sandwich with some bite to it, I've got just the thing. For a spicy bent, try Pepper Jack cheese, a personal favorite of mine. On a stinkier note, blue cheese can be surprisingly good on a grilled cheese sandwich, particulary when paired with a nice contrasting sweet flavor like pear or apple slices. I've also heard of goat cheese making a nice, gourmet grilled cheese (but am less of a fan of this one myself).

• Brie: Brie isn't really ideal for a "grilled cheese sandwich," because it's too soft and will leak out of the bread. However, since it's so tasty, you can opt for a "warmed cheese sandwich," just heating the brie and bread a little bit. I love a good sandwich with brie, ham and apple slices. Sometimes I'll even fry the ham up ahead of time and let it melt the brie a little. Yum!

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