It is such a humble food that we used to make simply by toasting up some bread and then slapping in a piece of cheese while hot to melt the cheese. Or, putting buttered bread with a slice of cheese on a skillet and heat and smash until done. It was never my favorite until I had one at an open market in Ballard with my Seattle transplanted daughter. That day, the air was chilly and a vendor was cooking up several grilled cheese sandwiches on a gas cooktop.
It was SO delicious – greasy, gooey, hot and steamy – in the cold air. This was years ago, before the Covid lockdown madness. On a recent visit to see Seattle daughter and her newborn hapa (haole and Asian) son, we didn’t attempt going out and I don’t think that market was even open. But I kept craving a good grilled cheese sandwich again.
And so, I made it myself at home. I did a little googling and began by putting mayonnaise (NOT butter) on both sides of 2 slices bread. I then heated both sides in a skillet until a slight crust formed. A big slice of Swiss cheese (it was on sale at Safeway’s deli counter) was sandwiched between the two slices and left in the skillet on low heat. Google search specifically said to cook it on low instead of blasting it and smashing. The cheese melted slowly and I flipped the sandwich over to continue toasting the other side.
Was it good?
Man-o-man, it was REALLY ono. Not as greasy as the Ballard market, or as steamy (it is too warm in Hawaii for heat steam), but it was gooey and hot and very satisfying with a bowl of my favorite chicken noodle soup (Lipton’s). I was never a soup and sandwich kind of gal, but I may be turning the corner on that one. I added some moringa leaves to the soup that I picked in the garden so it became healthier by a smidgeon.
Just thinking about it makes me want to make another one. Maybe tonight, after I play in the garden today.
Pal Fay sent me this link to Bon Appetit’s version using butter and only putting mayo on the outside of the bread slices. I will try this way too since I am on a grilled cheese sandwich thing and the joy of biting into this gooey crunchy simple cuisine – at least until I run out of my supply of cheese and/or bread.
I used to make grilled cheese sandwiches all the time in Illinois, but haven’t made any here in Hawaii. Hmmmm… I just used regular American cheese. But gosh! Now you’ve made me want one.
Brings back fond memories of the simple days when grilled cheese sandwiches were weekly preps, your suggestion with mayo is new to me, will try it to see how much more ono it will be. Congratulations, Aunty-now-Tutu-Sarah, on the arrival of first grandson, who must be the joy of your life!
Best Wishes to your daughter & family!
Wow!! I’m very much a soup and sandwich kind of person. I’ll try mayo instead of butter on my next grilled cheese sandwich.
We eat them quite a bit with a bowl of our homemade canned tomato soup during the winters. We usually put mayo on the inside with a slice of Swiss and one of provolone. We then lightly butter the outside and grill until cheese is warm. I have never thought of putting the mayo on the outside and doing away with the butter.