April came and went, and with it National Grilled Cheese Month. I tried to dig up who enacted this special designation for April, but…no one seems to be behind it. Is it a Cheese lobby push for power? A Bread and Cheddar PACT? Some shadowy and gooey association making backroom dealings with the tomato soup canvassers? Set your tinfoil hats to stun! It’s a foodie conspiracy!
Or not, but whatever. I like the idea of watching In the Loop but changing the subject from an unnamed war to grilled cheese. “Climbing the mountain of conflict” while eating a grilled cheese and washing it down with a “difficult difficult lemon difficult” drink sounds pretty delicious.
So to celebrate the month that’s just behind us, I came up with two of my favorite grilled cheeses (well, other than this Honey Truffle one): Scamorza, a smoked mozzarella, with sweet marinated peppers, and goat gouda with whole grain mustard and apple salad. One’s smokey and sweet, the other bright and tasty, mixing caramel gouda notes with a high acid apple. Yum! Time to get grilling.
HOW TO MAKE A GRILLED CHEESE:
INGREDIENTS
2 slices sourdough bread
1 apple (pink ladies are my fav), thinly sliced
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
4 slices goat gouda (such as Midnight Moon by Cypress Grove Chevre, or any gouda you like)
Butter
DIRECTIONS
Toss the apple slices, mustard, shallot, and parsley together. Place two pieces on cheese on one slice of bread and top with some of the apple mixture, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Add the other two slices of cheese, and press the other slice of bread onto it. With a knife, butter the bread. Heat a skillet over a medium flame, and press the sandwich on, buttered side down. Press until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has started to melt. Butter the other side of the sandwich (which is facing up) and flip. Cook until golden brown and the cheese is gooey (this should all take about 3-4 minutes). Slice and enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
2 slices sourdough bread
A couple of marinated sweet peppers (whatever your personal taste is)
4 slices scamorza (a smoked mozzarella)
Butter
DIRECTIONS
Place two pieces on cheese on one slice of bread and top with the sweet peppers, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Add the other two slices of cheese, and press the other slice of bread onto it. With a knife, butter the bread. Heat a skillet over a medium flame, and press the sandwich on, buttered side down. Press until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has started to melt. Butter the other side of the sandwich (which is facing up) and flip. Cook until golden brown and the cheese is gooey (this should all take about 3-4 minutes). Slice and enjoy!
