Thoughts On Grilled Cheese
What makes a good grilled cheese? Not even a great grilled cheese, just a good grilled cheese. One thing I can say for certain is that it would involve real cheese and not Kraft American Singles or some similar "cheese food product." I've had my share of such sandwiches growing up. My parents had one of two cheese varieties in the house on a regular basis: American cheese food slices, of whatever brand or variety, and Government nondescript yellow cheese. I admit the government cheese didn't make a bad grilled cheese. It may not have been a great grilled cheese, but it was passable. The cheese slices? Not so much.
Over the years I developed some personal preferences when it comes to a grilled cheese sandwich. I like mine with either sharp cheddar or a good swiss--maybe even both. Now, Velveeta and your "cheese food" slices might melt in an exceptional manner; that's what they are made to do. But they don't taste good (though Velveeta makes a good cheese dip when melted with your favorite salsa). I like real bread, real cheese, a slice or two of tomato, and an even heat source. I usually bake mine in the oven on a stone if I have the time. Beyond that you're getting into experimental territory.
On our way to Las Vegas we stopped in Kingman, Arizona. We had lunch at a Route 66 Diner called Mr. D'z. All in all, it was a good diner. The fries weren't too flaccid, the onion rings tasted beer battered, so on and so forth. There wasn't much on the menu in the way of vegetarian options so I opted for a grilled cheese. I asked for tomato on it and it sounded like that would be no big deal. And it wasn't. Not really.
The sandwich was made with generic "American" cheese food product slices and standard bread. There were tomato slices on the sandwich and it had been toasted to some degree. But the cheese wasn't really melted and the tomato was still cold. But what are you going to do? Of course I ate it and I didn't say anything about it. I will go on record now, however, with the determination that this was a crappy sandwich. Here's what I think an ideal restaurant grilled cheese sandwich would be like: Artisan bread, not too crusty but one with substance. Real cheese of your choice (provolone, cheddar, jack, swiss, you know, actual cheese varieties). Meaty tomato slices and maybe some spinach leaves. I like baking a sandwich, as I said, but if it's done on a grill, that's fine too--either way, the cheese has to be thoroughly melted, the tomato warmed through, and the bread toasted brown but not burned. It's not rocket science. It's an American classic and one of those basic things you learn to make as a child. It simply amazes me when a restaurant bothers to put it on the menu but can't actually make one, especially a "classic" diner.
