Grilled Cheese & Cafe Photos

gcheese

I cut the bread too thick. And I didn’t use enough cheese — I thought four ounces of cheese per sandwich seemed a little excessive. But maybe that’s what it takes to make the ultimate grilled cheese.

Saveur says:

“The Secret to making a perfect grilled cheese sandwich is cooking it over low heat, which brings out the subtle flavors of a cheese, and slathering the bread with butter, which crisps it in the pan. Comté, with its semifirm texture and nutty taste, is great for grilling.”

Saveur’s recipe for “the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich” calls for placing a cast-iron skillet over low heat and cooking the sandwich, flipping once, for 20 minutes. Twenty minutes! Who knew it took so long to make a grilled cheese sandwich? I did in fact cook my grilled cheese for 20 minutes and, thanks to a hefty slathering of butter, my sandwich crisped up nicely in my cast-iron pan. Oh, if only I had cut the bread thinner!

I think this cooking technique has the potential to produce a really great sandwich and next time around, I hope to find comté cheese, too. French comté is made from the milk of the Montbeliarde cows who graze on wild orchids, daisies and dandelions. Yum. If you can’t find comté, gruyère makes a fine substitute.

Don’t strain your eyes. Find the recipe here.

overhead-grilled-cheese

gruyere

grated

Since all I have to offer today is an unperfected grilled cheese sandwich, I thought I’d share some pictures with you as well. All of these are taken at the cafe where I work. If I can somehow get the chef to share his recipe for lemon madeleines, I will be sure to report back … they are so damn good.

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Comments ( 32 )

I saw this recipe too and want some of that cheese. Thanks for reminding me!

noble pig added these pithy words on Jan 16 09 at 1:29 am

ooh, i’ll have to look at that cheese! especially after squinting to read the small print lol, oops! LOVELY photos!!!

ttfn300 added these pithy words on Jan 16 09 at 6:25 am

STUNNING!!!!!!!!!!!!

**Just as a heads up: I will not be able to comment on blogs as often now, during this semester, due to work overload (I’m stressed already) – PLEASE know that I’m still loyally reading, but just won’t have time to comment. I hope you understand!!

VeggieGirl added these pithy words on Jan 16 09 at 6:48 am

The bread plays a huge role in making the perfect grilled cheese sandwich too. I just love it no matter what!!!

Bellini Valli added these pithy words on Jan 16 09 at 8:50 am

Every time I turn around, Saveur is tempting me with a new take on something simple like grilled cheese!

This looks delicious.

Lo added these pithy words on Jan 16 09 at 10:01 am

It still looks good to me! That with a nice hot bowl of tomato soup… yum!

Rain added these pithy words on Jan 16 09 at 11:11 am

Very nice. Yes, it may need more cheese, but it still looks really lovely. When’s lunch?

I just read your About page and you are just awesome. I came out here for the same reason you did, though my husband left the Corps in June 2000. We stayed because we fell in love with SoCal. I hope you’re enjoying it as well.

Looking into joining the SJC CSA. Thanks for having the link on your sidebar.

melissa added these pithy words on Jan 16 09 at 11:23 am

Beautiful pictures! That grilled sandwich looks awesome! Yes, Gruyère is a good substitute…

Cheers,

Rosa

Rosa's Yummy Yums added these pithy words on Jan 16 09 at 11:31 am

What a sandwich! That is amazing. The cafe where you work looks wonderful – gorgeous dishes.

Foodycat added these pithy words on Jan 16 09 at 2:04 pm

You are too hard on yourself! The grilled cheese looks truly perfect to me! Madelines are the cutest baked good ever.

HangryPants added these pithy words on Jan 16 09 at 6:18 pm

We don’t have that cheese around here. Your grilled cheese looks good.

Helene added these pithy words on Jan 16 09 at 6:25 pm

Only you could make a grilled cheese look so elegant and delectable.

Thanks for ordering my book! I hope you like it! I’m anxiously waiting to hear what you think!

The Blonde Duck added these pithy words on Jan 16 09 at 7:08 pm

Looks tasty! And I love the cafe photos, what a fun job! Try to get that recipe!

Maria added these pithy words on Jan 16 09 at 7:10 pm

My grilled cheese sandwiches never look that appetizing. It’s kind of the slap it together, throw it on the pan – I’m so hungry, I don’t care what it looks like school of grilled cheese

giz added these pithy words on Jan 16 09 at 7:51 pm

I saw that article in Saveur, your sandwich looks absolutely perfect. Love the cafe pictures too, everything looks so delicious.

Sara added these pithy words on Jan 17 09 at 9:39 am

oh my, the grilled cheese looks so inviting… i want a bite…

mikky added these pithy words on Jan 17 09 at 10:04 am

Your pictures are glorious!

Rena added these pithy words on Jan 17 09 at 1:50 pm

Further proof that all good things take time, eh? Looks goooorgeous, and now I have all this cheese in the States to work with, very doable! Thanks for the tip!

Manggy added these pithy words on Jan 17 09 at 2:11 pm

I love grilled cheese sandwiches. I will have to try this variation, because it looks delicious.

My salad was from a restaurant called Tender Greens in Culver City (suburb of LA). I think they also have a location in San Diego.

http://www.tendergreensfood.com/

blueberryhil added these pithy words on Jan 17 09 at 5:47 pm

Thanks for trying out the grilled cheese sandwich. Like ttfn, I too read the magazine but have never tried making the sandwich.

Angsana added these pithy words on Jan 17 09 at 6:17 pm

I am definitely having grilled cheese for lunch today! And congrats on being patient enough to cook a sandwich for 20 minutes – I know I will get impatient and turn the heat up!

Annie added these pithy words on Jan 18 09 at 5:23 pm

Ok I guess I’ll have to make grilled cheese for dinner tonight after this!

Clumbsy Cookie added these pithy words on Jan 19 09 at 10:47 am

Completely delicious. Add a cup of tomato soup and there’s the perfect lunch for me!

I didn’t know you worked in a cafe- that must be rather fun.

RecipeGirl added these pithy words on Jan 20 09 at 12:37 pm

Omg that grilled cheese looks so good…

Jessy and her dog Winnie added these pithy words on Jan 20 09 at 6:55 pm

The cafe looks so nice! I’ll have to make a grilled cheese this way, I love the crispy exterior! I saw a chocolate chip cookie in one of those pictures that was perfect, can you get the recipe for that from the chef????!!!!!

Bunny added these pithy words on Jan 21 09 at 6:57 pm

This looks fantastic! Great photos!

Jenny added these pithy words on Jan 22 09 at 8:07 am

I. Want. That. Sandwich.

Any Little Reason added these pithy words on Jan 22 09 at 3:09 pm

Absolutely delicious photos! I love grilled cheese sandwiches and will have to try out the recipe. The cafe you work at looks like it has delicious food! Cafe Mimosa? I’ll have to look it up. We head to San Diego a few times a year and we may just have to stop by on the way down next time!

Apples and Butter added these pithy words on Jan 22 09 at 10:18 pm

those cheese sandwich look sooo good!

eliza added these pithy words on Jan 22 09 at 10:27 pm

There’s nothing like a good grilled cheese sandwich and that photo there–bread too thick or not–looks fine to me. Twenty minutes IS a long time though!!

The photos are quite a treat as well.

Maria added these pithy words on Jan 23 09 at 7:35 pm

there’s nothing more classic and simple and comforting than a grilled cheese. you can’t f it up. 2 slices of wonder bread and a slice of crappy yellow american and i’m smiling. THIS grilled cheese and i’m in euphoria!

we are never full added these pithy words on Jan 24 09 at 5:25 pm

you have a fabulous blog on your hands. i’m glad i stumbled in… and just in time for grilled cheese! how’d you know?

launched my own food blog last week and would love for you to pop over some time!

cheers,

*heather*
http://squirrelbread.wordpress.com

squirrelbread added these pithy words on Jan 30 09 at 3:53 pm