Domestic Destination: Comfort food for the stressful season
With finals being a week away and stress building up, the last thing I am thinking about is cooking. I’ve got papers to write, professors to please and finals to pass. That is where the grilled cheese sandwich comes into play. But not just any grilled cheese.
I can’t stand seeing people talk about how much they love the grilled cheese sandwich only to make it with plastic single slice cheese, paper like white bread and in a pan that burns it. Stop. Take control of what you are going to be eating for the next two weeks and branch out from the plain grilled cheese life you have been living and start feeding those taste buds.
The grilled cheese has long been a comfort food, something many people ate as children. I still find it to be a great comfort food only I’ve made it grow up and become an adult sandwich with the variety of bread I make it with, cheeses I use and what surface it is grilled on.
I grew up with my grilled cheeses being made in a pan on the stove top, nothing big but unless you cover the pan while it cooks, you are likely to end up with burnt bread for the sake of melted cheese. There is no need to sacrifice the bread for the sake of the cheese, especially since the George Foreman “Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine” was invented. If you use a George Foreman electric grill you will have perfectly melted cheese and bread that is toasted to golden perfection. On top of that, you can also do multiple sandwiches at a time for those study groups that are at your house 24/7 for the next two weeks.
If you don’t have a George Foreman don’t freak out, you can still create the perfect sandwich. Start by keeping the heat on a medium setting. High heat will burn the bread and not melt the cheese very much. Next put a lid over the pan while the sandwich cooks, this traps the heat making all of the sandwich warm up, not just one side of it.
The bread that is used is essential. Regular sandwich bread is always an option but using a crustier bread means your sandwich won’t get flattened out by the George Foreman. Breads that make great grilled cheeses are Rye, sour dough, French bread, Cibatta, Asiago sour dough and sourdough garlic. Sour dough is a a good one to use because of the sour flavor. It acts as a great accompaniment to the cheese solo that will be playing in your mouth.
Cheese is the reason the grilled cheese even exists. Use a variety of cheeses other than the classic cheddar provides an exiting grilled cheese experience. Let’s take a tour of cheese to find out what is out there in the cheese world that can tantalize our taste buds and comfort our mouths.
Havarti, which is native to Denmark is a soft white cheese. According to Wikipedia,which is not reliable but I’ll trust it, Havarti has a buttery aroma and can be somewhat sharp in the stronger varieties, much like Swiss cheese. Wikipedia said, “the taste is buttery, and from somewhat sweet to very sweet, and it is slightly acidic.”
Gouda, hailing from Holland, this Dutch delight is named after the city it originated from. Depending on age classification of the Gouda, it can be everything between a number of weeks to over seven years before it is ready to be eaten. Wikipeda said, “As Gouda ages it develops a caramel sweetness and sometimes has a slight crunchiness.” Exported Gouda has two varieties, the young Gouda cheese aged between one and six months, rich yellow in color and with a red or yellow paraffin wax coating. The second variety of Gouda, which is aged more, “has a pungent underlying bitterness, yet is still considerably creamier and sometimes discernible by a black paraffin wax coating”, according to Wikipedia.
Pepper Jack Cheese, as written by the good folks at Wikipedia, “is a derivative of Monterey Jack that includes spicy hot peppers for a zesty flavor. Spicy, delicate and buttery, pepper jack cheese is semi-soft and open textured with a slightly tart flavor.” The Tillamook and Gossner’s variety are good options.
Swiss cheese is known for its holiness and bittersweet taste. In general, the larger the eyes in a Swiss cheese, the more pronounced its flavor; this is because the same conditions that lead to large eyes, also allow the bacteria and enzymes to produce a stronger flavor. For a bolder taste, buy a Swiss cheese that is foreign made since most American made swiss cheeses do not have the large eyes that give swiss a pronounced flavor.
Goat Cheese is an option if one has a sensitive stomach to cheeses, since goat cheese is easier on the stomach. Wikipedia said, “The higher proportion of medium-chain fatty acids in goat’s milk contributes to the characteristic tart flavor of goat’s milk cheese.” Goat cheese can be bought in a variety of flavors such as Chipotle, garlic onion and with cranberries, just to name a few.
Adding a new kind of cheese isn’t the only thing that can be done to make the grilled cheese a little more upscale. Add herbs such as Dill, Rosemary and Oregano. But don’t combine them together, that could be disastrous. Seasonings such as fresh ground pepper, creole seasoning or a little salt can add a kick to it as well. If you want a heartier grilled cheese add some deli meat, slice tomato, sauted onions or spinach. Don’t forget to butter the bread before you grill it to make it crunchy.
Like most adults, the grilled cheese needs some love, too, and that is where soups come into play. Pair the sandwich with a soup such as a creamy tomato, butternut squash, chicken noodle, lentil, such as the one featured a few weeks ago, and you are in business. Branch out from the standard Campbell’s condensed soups and try Pacific brand all natural soups. The Creamy Tomato and Butternut Squash are delicious as well as the Minestrone.
Now that you know the secrets of the grilled cheese, go dominate it.
C.Ann Jensen is a senior majoring in print journalism who wants ramekins and a Kitchen Aid for Christmas. You can find out where to deliver them to by e-mailing her at ch.jensen@aggiemail.usu.edu