Battle of the Sandwiches

A week or so back I said the tuna sandwich was possibly the most popular American sandwich. However, our intern Shaina (from Northeastern) has recently notified me that she dislikes "smelly" tuna sandwiches. I am astonished. I thought everyone loved a good tuna sandwich. Her favorite sandwich is the all-American grilled cheese sandwich, which I have to admit is also wonderful...a gooey delight of creamy cheese and crispy, buttery bread. I am now going to turn over the blog to Shaina so that she may write some informative and possibly heartwarming notes on the delicious grilled cheese sandwich...here she is:

There are so many ways to make a grilled cheese! All you really need is bread, cheese, and a little butter. You can cook it in a pan, on a grill, or in a sandwich maker. If you want to spice it up a little, you can add tomatoes, apples, mustard, or even spicy jelly. Really anything goes, as long as you have the two main ingredients; bread and cheese.

My favorite grilled cheese is made with Muenster cheese (picture on the right), which is creamy and a little salty. Andrea loves Fontina cheese, which also makes a nice gooey sandwich. My boyfriend, on the other hand, likes to use Kraft singles (picture on the left) which are the perfect size for one grilled cheese sandwich.

Sourdough bread is usually considered the best kind for a grilled cheese, but you can use any kind you want, from plain old white bread to a fancy Italian foccacia bread. Spread a little butter on the outside of the bread, put the cheese in the middle, and cook it in a pan on medium heat for a minute or two on each side. Remember to press down on the sandwich with a spatula so it gets very gooey. If the cheese oozes out of the sandwich into the pan, that's okay! It will get very crispy and delicious.

Now pair that classic American grilled cheese with a bowl of tomato soup, and you have a great meal!

(If you aren't able to make your own grilled cheese, many restaurants around Boston offer up this delicious treat. The Beehive in the South End has a grilled cheese with tomatoes and one with short ribs. Flat Patties in Harvard Square also serves this sandwich "just right.")

-Shaina