Aside from April Fools Day, the fourth month of the year carries a few holidays of note: Passover, Thomas Jefferson’s birthday, ummmm… Okay, maybe those are the only ones, but what we celebrate around here is National Grilled Cheese Month, which lasts all of April.
Among the cheesy, gooey reverie taking place:
-Registration is now open for the First Sixth Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational, taking place April 19 in Los Angeles
-The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board has a bunch of recipes and tips and even a video up on its site
-Surely, millions of Americans will cook millions of grilled cheese sandwiches all month long without even knowing it’s a holiday
-The Grilled Cheese Blog, while so far quiet on the subject, will likely explode, just a little bit, in a fervor of enthusiasm over this unsung celebratory month.
After the jump: A recipe and a very creepy video
First Sixth Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational [Official Site]
Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Sandwiches [WMMB]
The Grilled Cheese Blog [Official Site]
Photo: Esther17 [Flickr]
For us, the best grilled cheese is cheddar on wheat, with a bowl of tomato soup, a pile of dill chips and some brown mustard on the side. In case you are from Mars and don’t know how to make a grilled cheese sandwich, here is a recipe for the simplest one ever, from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board:
8 slices firm-textured sandwich bread
Mayonnaise, optional
Mustard, optional
1/2 pound (8 ounces) Wisconsin Cheddar cheese, mild, medium or sharp, grated
3 to 4 tablespoons butter, softened
Cooking Directions:
Spread bread slices with a thin layer of mayonnaise and/or mustard. Evenly divide the grated Cheddar over four slices of the bread. Top with remaining four slices.
Heat half of the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Place sandwiches in skillet. Spread remaining butter over top slices of bread. Cover skillet. Cook about 3 minutes, until underside is golden brown. Carefully flip sandwiches with spatula and continue cooking, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes, until cheese is melted and underside is browned. Serve immediately.
Tip: Using 2 to 3 ounces of processed cheese to replace part of the Cheddar imparts a creamy, silky sandwich. Processed cheese was traditionally used in grilled cheese sandwiches.
That’s the classic, and it’s a good jumping-off point for variations.
And, just so you don’t think we focus solely on good, wholesome tastes around here, witness one of the creepiest YouTube videos ever, courtesy of the Grilled Cheese Blog, on hideously mocking making the classic sandwich in the microwave. Gross:
