It’s one of the world’s most versatile sandwiches.
Whether you make it in a skillet on the stovetop or with an iron in your dorm room, the grilled cheese sandwich remains a classic comfort food loved by people of all ages.
Grilled cheese sandwiches became popular in the United States around the 1920s when a couple of innovations occurred in the food world.
By 1914, the J.L. Kraft & Bros. Co. had created a revolutionary pasteurizing process that ensured cheese would not spoil, even when transported long distances.
And in 1920, Frederick Rohwedder invented a bread slicer that made distributing sliced white bread easy and more affordable. Put sliced bread and processed cheese together — especially after 1950, when Kraft introduced individually wrapped cheese slices — and it was just a matter of time before the magic happened.
Over the years, grilled cheese sandwiches have evolved beyond basic. The availability of different types of cheeses and breads and access to kitchen cooking tools from panini presses to air fryers mean there are endless ways to create the perfect gooey cheese sandwich.
Of course, there is still some debate on what makes a “perfect” grilled cheese sandwich. For example, some people like to butter the outside of the bread slices before grilling the sandwich in a skillet while others prefer to use mayonnaise, claiming it gives the sandwich a little more crispness.
I experimented with the mayonnaise idea the other day, when I slathered some mayo on a couple of slices of sourdough bread, filled the sandwich with cheddar and Swiss cheeses and a pinch of Dijon mustard, and cooked it in my air fryer.
I can’t say for certain whether it was the mayonnaise or the air fryer that made it nice and crunchy on the outside of the sandwich, but either way it was delicious.
Brioche, Havarti and Honey Mustard Grilled Cheese.
JANINE LADEMAN
2 slices of brioche bread
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey mustard
2 slices of Havarti cheese, herbed or plain
Spread the honey mustard on each slice of bread. Add cheese. Close the sandwich.
Butter the outside of the bread. In a preheated medium-high skillet, cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until the bread begins to brown slightly and the cheese is starting to melt.
Spread the jam on the bread. Add the cheese and close the sandwich.
Butter the outside of the bread.
In a preheated medium-high skillet, cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until the bread begins to brown slightly and the cheese is starting to melt.
Air Fryer Melted Cheddar and Swiss
2 slices of sourdough bread
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 slices cheddar cheese
2 slices Swiss cheese
Spread the mayonnaise on the outside and the Dijon on the inside of each slice of bread.
Place a layer of cheddar on top of the mustard on one slice of bread, then add a layer of cheddar.
Close the sandwich.
Set the sandwich in an air fryer pre-heated to 380 degrees and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the outside of the sandwich is golden brown and lightly crispy.
