Comfort Food and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich

[Jim Koepke]

One of my favorite comfort foods is a grilled cheese sandwich (GCS). Mine are almost always made under the oven's broiler.

On those evenings where one just doesn't feel like making a more thorough meal, a grilled cheese, salad, bag of chips and a beverage can hit the spot.

More often than not, if there is some ham in the fridge it too ends up in the sandwich.

Most often the typical GCS has American Cheese, which some folks refuse to acknowledge as actually being cheese. This product of industry and marketing has found its way into many of my GCSes.

Now one of my favorite cheeses is a pepper jack. It seems every distributer of pepper jack has a different formula as to which peppers and how many they include. Shop around to find one you like if that is your desire.

Currently my mouth is undergoing extensive dental work and it may be awhile before being able to tackle a sandwich. Looking forward to the day my mouth can wrap around some of these:

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...b07a3485e742c5

This may require finding a cheese shop in Portland to try some of them.

jtk

[Nathan Johnson]

I'm partial to a combination of provolone and pepper jack.

[John C Cox]

I agree that a Grilled Cheese Sandwich is one of the finer things in life. It's hard to beat the ubiquitous 2 slices of American cheese inside well buttered white bread. I do like cheddar and monterey jack... But American is hard to beat....

[Doug Garson]

I agree that a Grilled Cheese Sandwich is one of the finer things in life. It's hard to beat the ubiquitous 2 slices of American cheese inside well buttered white bread. I do like cheddar and monterey jack... But American is hard to beat....

How about a BLT with some mayo and for a bonus avocado?

[Marshall Harrison]

How about a BLT with some mayo and for a bonus avocado?

I'm a simple guy. I would much rather have a tomato sandwich. Just bread, mayo (preferably Duke's Mayonnaise) tomatoes and a little salt.

If I do a GCS I prefer American cheese or Velveeta (another product of industry and marketing). I love a GCS with chili.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I dearly love my cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches. A typical winter supper can be a GCS and tomato soup. I prefer suped up tomato soups but my wife prefers Campbells plain tomato soup.

But cheese....for a local commercial brand, I prefer Tillamook ...I like their ice cream too. I like a wide variety of cheeses...including pepper jack, blue cheese, Havarti, American, Velveeta, cheddar, white cheddar, and so on.

Recently a pizza shop headquartered on the west coast of Washington, Mod Pizza opened a shop here. I enjoy going there as I can choose from a wide variety of cheeses to try a different pizza, looking for a favorite.

[Jim Becker]

I make Professor Dr. SWMBO and I grilled cheese sandwiches for a weekend lunch quite frequently and I originally intended to have one today for lunch, but got backed up with a project and had to settle for something quick on the way to pick my daughter up from work.

My preference is for a whole grain/seedy bread and various different kinds of cheeses. Occasionally, it's not just cheese, either...ham, salami or whatever might make an appearance in the middle of that gooey, delicious melted cheese. I do them on top of the range in a hot pan, but might try that broiler method at some point.

'Hope you heal fast and can get back into the sandwich swing quickly, Jim!

[Matt Day]

I made GC’s for dinner tonight. Plain cheddar (extra sharp Kraft) for the kids, and my wife and I had cheddar and smoked Gruyere. I use Pepperidge Farm Hearty White (I think it’s callled) which gives it a bit of a Texas Toast taste after it’s cooked/toasted with butter. Very tasty. I like to mix up the cheeses, but have learned not to get too exotic or it takes away from that GC taste.

I normally cook mine with buttered bread on a pan set on low/med.

Of course we had tomato soup (bisque this time) with it. And snap peas and raspberries to add some healthier food.

Can you tell I really enjoyed it?

I know what you mean about cheese becoming a lot less cheese and more fake processed junk. I got some store brand shredded cheddar and it tasted like cardboard. No more, I’m grating my own from a block now.

Hope your mouth heals up fast!

[George Bokros]

I like a good white American cheese like Land 'O Lakes. I also like cheddars like Sargento Extra Sharp White Cheddar.

[Peter Christensen]

Not nice to make our mouths water after we just had dinner.

I worked afternoon shift for many years, so I got pretty creative with my food to prevent tastebud boredom. I had a browning dish that I would bring and preheat in the microwave. When it was hot I would toss in my inch and a half thick hand sliced and buttered cheese sandwiches. First side got about 45 seconds and then flipped to do the second for another minute. Out they came hot, toasted, with the lots of melted cheese spilling out. They looked and tasted just like ones done on a frying pan or griddle. Always triggered drooling among the guys eating their leftovers. Cheddar, mozzarella, smoked gouda or swiss all cut from a block, never pre-sliced individually wrapped almost cheese and fresh bread picked up in the morning from the bakery. Almost made working tolerable.

[James Tibbetts]

GCS and tomato soup is my favorite lunch, and often dinner as well. For the cheese I prefer sharp enough-to-cut -you cheddar; or Kraft American slices with Jalapeno.
That tomato sandwich Marshall mentioned is way up on my list also. Tomato, mayo and S&P. And then there is the ever popular BLT.
Man, I could live a long time on that selection

[Arthur Fleming]

My preference is Italian bread, and toasted to an almost crunchy, dark golden, finish. prefer smoked provolone, Pepperjack a close second. Ham, bacon, turkey, if easily available. Mustard, never mayo (for grilled cheeses, mayo for most of my other sandwiches). Love salads, but not with grilled cheeses. Chips, and pickles, yes.

[Mark Blatter]

I'm a simple guy. I would much rather have a tomato sandwich. Just bread, mayo (preferably Duke's Mayonnaise) tomatoes and a little salt.

+1

I love tomato sandwiches, if the tomato is vine ripe. The only time I make them is late summer when I can pick my own tomatoes so I know they are perfectly ripe. I refuse to buy tomatoes from a store as they are always tasteless and nasty. I do toast my bread though and use Miracle Whip instead of mayo. I like the tangy taste in conjunction with the ripe tomatoes.

With GCS, I prefer a sharp or extra sharp cheddar. Helps to make sure my mouth is awake and not just calling in the chewing from the beach. I also like to add tomato soup to dip it in.

[Mac McQuinn]

Grilled Spatz(regional fix) bread with Whole Food's shredded Mexican cheese blend and slices of Roma tomatoes inside, works for me.
Mac

[Joe Mioux]

Grilled cheese on whole-multi grain bread, yellow mustard and butter, and dill and/or bread and butter pickles.

Tomato soup is a must with GC sandwiches.