Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Ok, so the photo isn’t so hot but the sandwich is! It’s been a favorite of mine for a very long time. For me, it’s a classic staple and when one is running short for time or you just don’t want to spend any time in the kitchen, this fits the bill.
Ingredients:
2 slices of bread
grated cheese – about 6oz. (such as cheddar, fontina, mozzarella)
Traditionally the bread is buttered but an alternative is to brush one side of each slice of bread with olive oil. Place 2 slices on a work surface, oiled side down. Distribute the cheese evenly over 1 slice. Top with the other slice of bread, oiled side up.
Stove Top Method:
Heat the skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Put the sandwich in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, or until the underside is golden brown and the cheese has begun to melt. Turn the sandwich with a spatula, pressing firmly to flatten slightly. Cook for 1 minute, or until the undersides are golden brown. Serve immediately.
Sandwich Maker Method:
Preheat the sandwich maker. Follow directions for sandwich assembly, and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
What’s in a Name?
I’m always intrigued to know where words originate and wondered how the word ‘sandwich’ came to be. Some believe it was named after John Montagu who was the 4th Earl of Sandwich. Legend has it that in 1762 he asked for meat (most probably salted beef) to be served between slices of bread to avoid interrupting a gambling game.
However, the first recorded sandwich was by Rabbi Hillel the Elder in the 1st century BC. He started the Passover custom of sandwiching a mixture of chopped nuts, apples, spices and wine between two matzohs to eat with bitter herbs. The filling between the matzohs served as a reminder of the suffering of the Jews before their deliverance from Egypt.
It is said that Peanut Butter sandwiches were created by the American soldiers in World War Two. The soldiers combined bread, peanut butter and jelly from their c-rations (ready pack meals). This filling spread through the ranks and when they returned home after the war, peanut butter and jelly sales soared. Food historians have found nothing written about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before 1940. It would seem most likely that this would be the birth of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Oh, the stories a slice of bread can tell! What’s your favorite sandwich?