Is it me, or do grilled cheese sandwiches seem to be making a move into the "It" food space? They've always been strong players in the world of comfort foods, but more and more they seem to be making moves similar to the now ubiquitous cupcake.
First, they've been springing up in restaurants everywhere. Eater recently published "New York's 12 Best Grilled Cheese Sandwiches," which highlights amazing versions of the staple found all over the city, such as the buttermilk fried chicken grilled cheese sandwich, which contains: "lots of gooey jalapeno jack, cabbage slaw, and a dollop of the restaurant's special creamy 'melt sauce.'"
In Canada, entire grilled cheese restaurants are popping up. Some are even serving up carb-and-cheese-laden versions that are stuffed with macaroni and cheese. Oh my. I bet Takeru Kobayashi -- the guy who ate 13 grilled cheese sandwiches in one minute at SXSW this weekend -- wasn't eating those.
In honor of the great grilled cheese and its rise in the ranks of the food world, here are six fantastic twists on the traditional grilled cheese sandwich that you can make at home.
1. Cheddar and Apple Grilled Cheese With Raspberry Coulis
This version from Pithy and Cleaver is an insanely delicious mix of sweet and savory with flavor popping in each bite. Bonus health points for the fruit.
2. Grown-Up Farmhouse Grilled Cheese
With pancetta, white cheddar, and slices of heirloom tomato, it's a simple, but substantial sandwich.
3. Pesto-Crusted Grilled Cheese
The pesto adds a nice punch to this sandwich, and it also makes it perfectly green for St. Patrick's Day.
Courtesy of Rachel Ray, this sandwich boasts olives, spicy Italian vegetables, and provolone. Ciao!
5. Grilled Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Fig and Honey
Who needs anything else?
6. Panini With Chocolate and Brie
A dessert and dinner all in one. Yum!
What's the best grilled cheese sandwich you've ever eaten?
Hungry? Need dinner ideas? Just love anything and everything food and recipes? Then you'll totally want to follow us on Pinterest! Our virtual pin boards on Kid Friendly Recipes , Sweet Treats and Easter 2012 are pure eye candy. Yum!
Image via Shivery/Flickr
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Comments 19
What your list consists of is "melts", which are just hot sandwiches with melted cheese.
There's the "patty melt", which is a hamburger patty, with melted cheese.
It's not like these are newly invented items.
Lately, someone just declares an old item cool again, and everyone else goes along with it.
Geez, party pooper up there. ^^^
I like mozzarella with pesto (on the inside) on sourdough. Yum yum yum. Dip it in tomato soup? Even better.
I'm sorry that I ruined your party.
i love grilled cheese sandwiches. The best I ever made was by toasting my bread, spreading butter and cutting up cabot extra sharp cheese very thick. It was so delicious. It wasn't totally melted but I love the taste of cheese. I guess this isn't really grilled cheese then, its toasted bread with cheese in between.
I have to agree with Skyhook, those aren't really grilled cheese sandwiches.
If you want to get really technical, since most of you apparently do. A real grilled cheese would be just a piece of cheese...put on a grill... :)
It's kind of silly to get finicky over what someone calls a sandwich. lol