Cheese sandwich
 | This article may need to be rewritten to comply with Wikipedia's quality standards. (October 2009) |
| Alternative names | Grilled cheese sandwich, Cheese toast, Toasted cheese |
|---|---|
| Serving temperature | Cold/hot |
| Main ingredients | Cheese and bread |
| Variations | Multiple |
A cheese sandwich is a basic sandwich made generally with one or more slices of any kind of cheese on any sort of bread. It may have lettuce, tomato, pickles and/or condiments such as mustard or mayonnaise added.
Cheese sandwiches with added meat, however, are generally referred to by more specific names; if ham is included, for example, the result is a "ham and cheese sandwich".
In Europe, especially, different types of cold cheese sandwiches can be found easily in bakeries (sometimes with butter spread onto the bread), and also at snack bars and more casual restaurants.
Grilled cheese sandwich
 | It has been suggested that Melt sandwich be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since July 2009. |
A grilled cheese sandwich is a cheese sandwich that's been heated until the bread crisps and the cheese melts, sometimes combined with an additional ingredient such as peppers, tomatoes or onions. The bread is usually buttered before cooking.
A variety of different names denote the same sandwich, such as cheese toastie or toasted cheese sandwich; in the UK and New Zealand it goes by toastie, in Australia it is possibly, in some areas, called a cheese jaffle, In South Africa the toasted cheese sandwich consists of cheddar cheese between two slices of bread. The sandwich is then toasted in a sandwich press or pan fried. Additions may consist of tomato, mushrooms, bacon or ham. A grilled cheese sandwich is an open sandwich placed under a hot grill until the cheese melts. This may also be called a "rarebit". A "snackwich" is a sandwich that is sealed on all sides, similar to the jaffle. In the Netherlands it is called a tosti.
History
The grilled cheese sandwich began in the 1920s in the U.S. with the widespread availability of sliced bread and processed cheese. It was originally made as an open sandwich, but the top slice of bread became common by the 1960s.[1] The sandwich can now be found on many menus across the United States.
At the Grilled Cheese Invitational cook-off (held annually in Los Angeles), contestants attempt to cook the best grilled cheese sandwich in various categories. The 2008 winner of the Grilled Cheese Invitational "Spaz Trophy" (awarded for overall "weirdness") was the "Cake and Mivens" a dessert grilled cheese sandwich that featured the peeps confectionery.
On November 23, 2004, a grilled cheese sandwich containing a supposed likeness of the Virgin Mary was sold at auction for $28,000.[2]
Preparation
A grilled cheese sandwich can be made in a variety of ways, depending on the region and personal preference.
Common methods include being cooked on a griddle, grilled, pan frying, broiled, or made in a panini grill or sandwich toaster. (This method is more common in the United Kingdom where the sandwiches are sometimes called "toasties.")
When making grilled cheese on an open griddle or pan, one side is cooked first, then the sandwich is flipped and cooked on the other side.[3] The sandwich is finished when both sides are toasted and the cheese has melted. Butter or oil may first be smeared on either the bread or the cooking surface.
Another technique is to toast or grill each half of the sandwich separately, then combine them.
See also
- Smažený sýr
- Comfort food
- Ham and cheese sandwich
- Croque-monsieur
- Patty melt
- Reuben sandwich
- Tuna melt
- Bruschetta
- Panini (sandwich)
References
- ^ "Food Timeline-- history notes: sandwiches". Retrieved 2008-03-18.
{{cite web}}: Text "Lynne Olver" ignored (help) - ^ BBC News Retrieved November 24, 2008.
- ^ How to Make a Grilled Cheese Sandwich Retrieved November 24, 2008.
External links
