History of the Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Making a sandwich of bread and cheese does not take much forethought, but deciding to grill the sandwich until the cheese melts within is the stuff of dreams. A tasty grilled cheese sandwich provides a multitude of delicious tastes on the tongue that run from the crispness of the bread to the melting of the cheese. But few know of the history of this tasty culinary delight.
Contents
A grilled cheese sandwich consists of two slices of bread that have been buttered on the outside, with a slice or slices of cheese between them. The cheese that is most commonly used is American cheese, although it can be made with Swiss or any other cheese instead.
History
The grilled cheese sandwich appeared in the early 1920s and was originally served with just one slice of bread, with the cheese on the top. The second piece of bread was added in the early 1960s.
Significance
The grilled cheese became more popular in the early part of the twentieth century once sliced bread and processed cheese came into the supermarkets.
Name
A grilled cheese can also be called a "toasted" cheese, but this term is mostly used in Europe. Other names for the sandwich include Cheese Toastie, Tosti and Cheese Jaffle.
Cooking
Contrary to the name, a grilled cheese sandwich is not usually grilled but actually fried on a pan. The grilled cheese is flipped over to fry the other side when one side is brown. In some cases the bread is not buttered on the outside, as the cooking surface has oil or butter on it instead.
Fun Fact
Grilled cheese sandwiches are most commonly served with a bowl of soup. The soup of choice is tomato soup.
Tags: grilled cheese, grilled cheese, grilled cheese sandwich, buttered outside, cheese sandwich, Grilled Cheese Sandwich, History Grilled
