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The perfect grilled cheese sandwich
Tuesday July 18, 2006
This is a guest post, compliments (I think) of Kate Bolin
You’ll need:
- Two slices of good sourdough bread, or thick crusty white if sourdough isn’t easy to find
- Two even slices of cheddar cheese—prepackaged sliced cheese works here, if you don’t think you can cut it evenly enough
- Good quality butter, slightly softened for easier spreading
- A butter knife
- Frying pan or flat skillet
- A spatula
- A plate
- A stove
To make:
- Turn the stove on high heat, and set the pan on the burner.
- Spread the butter evenly over one side of each slice of bread.
- Prepare the cheese for easy sandwiching.
- Test the pan by flicking small droplets of water onto it. If they sizzle, it’s ready.
- Turn down the heat on the burner by half.
- Quickly lay onto the pan one slice of bread, buttered-side down, the two slices of cheese, and the other slice of bread, buttered-side up.
- Pause for a few seconds, admiring your work, then carefully slide your spatula underneath the sandwich, and gently flip over.
- Wait around two minutes, admiring your work. Smell the delicious cheese and butter and bread cooking before you. Think about how delicious it’ll taste.
- Slide that spatula underneath again, then gently flip over. Check the level of browness on your newly exposed sandwich surface. Has it reached the desired level of brownicity? Could it stand to be a bit browner? Is it too brown?
- Leave it on the fresh side for as long as you feel is necessary. If needed, keep flipping until you’ve hit the right level of brown.
- Lift off of the pan, set onto your nearby plate, and firmly cut the sandwich in half with your butter knife.
- Sit down, look at the loveliness of your grilled cheese sandwich, and enjoy!
— Kate Bolin
