Monday, April 11, 2016

Callin' all CHEESE lovers!

for more foodie fun!

Next up for celebration is the first foodie. Are you hungry? With the April being National Grilled Cheese month, one might wonder why a single day is designated as celebration of the grilled cheese sandwich. Any time one hears the expression 'grilled cheese', isn't the sandwich the first thing that comes to mind? I have heard of fried cheese (no bread necessary) but grilling cheese without the bread might be a bit tricky. So, for this celebration, let's just stick with the sandwich.

April 12 is ...

National Grilled Cheese

Sandwich Day

Not Your Mom's Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Mathematically, it’s a simple equation: Bread + butter + cheese = happiness. The grilled cheese sandwich is one of the most popular and easiest sandwiches of all time — kids love them, undergrads live off of them, and foodies obsess over gourmet versions of them. There are even variations many consider a bit on the wild side.

A Bit of History...

Croque Monsieur

Variations of cheese and bread have existed for centuries with the Ancient Romans being the first civilization to make a cooked bread and cheese sandwich. Toasting the duo, however, is a fairly modern phenomenon. In France, people enjoy Croque Monsieur (a grilled ham and cheese sandwich) while in Switzerland it is customary to melt the cheese and toast the bread separately before combining them.

Open-faced Grilled Cheese

The classic American grilled cheese, open-faced style, gained popularity in the 1920s when inexpensive cheese and affordable sliced bread became available. It became a staple as a simple way to get some protein, fat, and carbs all in one bite. In the United States, it was first called a “toasted cheese” or “melted cheese” sandwich.

International versions have existed for years, including “toast,” from Israel, “kasarli tost,” from Turkey, and “toasties,” from Britain. Other, meatier versions also exist, like the French “croque monsieur,” the Dutch “tosti kaas,” and Scottish “roasted cheese.”

The sandwich, then called a “cheese dream,” gained even more popularity during the Great Depression as rations grew slim. But grilled cheese has gone from functional staple to deluxe dinner item thanks to a little help from Kraft singles, which debuted in 1949, and helped promote grilled cheese as a nostalgic, childhood treat.

Today Americans consume more than two billion grilled cheese sandwiches a year. That’s a whole lot of sandwiches. For a heart-health spin on the delicious grilled cheese, here are a few tips:

♥ Whole wheat bread is a healthier option than white.
♥ Choose sharper cheese like an aged cheddar. The cheese’s natural kick will let you use less in the sandwich while getting the same amount of flavor. Do NOT use fat-free cheese. No fat means the cheese will have a hard time melting.
♥ Instead of frying a grilled cheese in a pan of melted butter, try a panini maker or lightly spray a sauté pan with olive oil. [NOT my fav!]

By the way, be sure to use REAL BUTTER! It is actually better for you than any of the artificial margarines.