Grilled cheese

A grilled cheese, toasted cheese sandwich, cheese toastie (UK) or cheese jaffle (AU) is a hot cheese sandwich typically prepared by placing cheese between slices of bread and cooking with butter or mayonnaise on a frying pan, griddle, or pie iron, until the bread browns and the cheese melts. Despite its name, it is rarely prepared through grilling.

History

The 1861 English recipe book Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management includes a recipe for placing sandwiches of brown bread and butter with 1⁄2-inch (13 mm) slices of "a nice fat Cheshire or any good rich cheese" into an oven, and serving when the bread becomes toasted.

The cheese dream, an open-faced grilled cheese sandwich (a close variation of cheese on toast), became popular in the United States during the Great Depression. Cookbooks produced by the U.S. federal government describe U.S. Navy cooks grilling "American cheese filling sandwiches" during World War II.

Preparation

A grilled cheese sandwich is made by placing a cheese filling, often cheddar or American cheese, between two slices of bread, which is then put on a pan to heat until the bread browns and the cheese melts. A layer of butter or mayonnaise is usually added to the outside of the bread for additional flavor and texture. Alternatives may include additional ingredients such as peppers, tomatoes, or onions. Although cheddar and American cheese are used most widely, other variations of cheese like provolone or gouda are also used depending on the region and the local influences.

A grilled cheese may also be made in a pie iron, particularly in the United Kingdom where the dish is normally called a toasted cheese sandwich or cheese toastie.