httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYS3QebNIX8

Greetings, Earthlings!

It is I, Helenka, ultimate ruler of the uni— ::reacts to sudden poke from Brian:: What? Oh, sorry. Wrong blog. Let’s try this one more time.

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Hello, Culinary Playmates:

Are you ready to go on another adventure with us? Fabulous. Because Brian decided we’d had so much fun with our decadently divine cheese tasting (Episode #32) that we should do it again by inventing our own grilled cheese sammidges – where I got to play with all the potential ingredients (and I did, I so did).

Now, if this were a typical blog entry, I would talk about what we made during the filmed episode and only later on provide variations. But I can’t do that this time … because the entire episode was one giant variation. And that was exhilarating for me! Come to think of it, I believe that’s one of Brian’s devious devices to get an unscripted and unpredictable reaction from me on camera. ::sighs:: And it works.

As I mentioned during the filming, here was another dish that I had been deprived of while growing up, with the one prominent exception in my adult life. I find it fascinating to see how we can intertwine a food with a memory of a happy occasion. Though it’s been at least 36 years, I can still remember the crisp but sunny day, the meandering walk through Rosedale on my way to my friend’s place, being offered that most humble combination, aka a grilled cheese sandwich, and finally watching The African Queen for the first time. Do you have any significant memories of happy events or important people in your lives that are inextricably meshed with a particular food? See for yourselves how many you can pair together.

To recap, here were my two exquisite creations:
#1
Danish Blue cheese
Saint André cream cheese
Stone baked Rosemary Ham
Asian Pear
#2
Balderson 6-year old Cheddar cheese
Mont Gleason cheese
Bacon
Caramelized Onions
Fuji Apple
Honey Dijon Mustard

Anyway, back to the important lesson from this episode. Even if you did grow up with the standard version of a grilled cheese sandwich (two slices of bread spread with butter or marge with a slice of cheddar in between), there is absolutely NO reason for you not to create your own unique masterpieces!

Variations:
If you’re stumped for ideas, just think about some of the cold sandwiches you’ve eaten of which cheese is a part … and translate them into a grilled version.
Like:
-Rare roast beef and Brie
-Reuben (corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss)

Or, if you want to, you can think of a grilled cheese sandwich as an unusual type of pocket pizza. Any traditional (or weird) combo will work beautifully.
Try:
-Hawaiian (ham, pineapple and mozzarella)
-Vegetarian (mushroom, roasted red pepper and asiago)

Don’t be afraid to mix two cheeses (or go on a spree with three!). Get out the tomato or onion relishes that you normally use only during hot dog/hamburger season. See what other condiments are lurking at the back of your cupboard. Mix fruit with veggies. We did it with our salads before, so why not with this comfort food.

Or turn this into a simple yet decadent breakfast or dessert sandwich. You heard me wishing we’d had fresh figs. That’s only one possibility. There are so many other firm-fleshed fruits (peaches or nectarines, apricots, strawberries) that would be sensational with goat cheese. Cut the sandwich into four pretty triangles, sprinkle with a little powdered sugar and drizzle with maple syrup and … ohhhhh … um … where was I?

Any of the ideas we’ve presented for the French toast or pancake episodes could be adapted for use here as well, as long as the fruit is fairly sturdy. And just remember that the cheese needs to have body as well. That’s why I would not recommend a deli-style cream cheese alone, as its consistency would be too thin to withstand the heat of the oven unless paired with a firmer cheese.

So, please remember that, just because a grilled cheese sandwich used to be a fairly boring and traditional staple, you can play with it to your heart’s content. Because playing with your food is one of those unexpected (and often whispered) privileges of being a grownup. And more people, other than Teppan chefs who juggle food for entertainment, should be able to do so. Cheers to that!

Until next time, have yourselves a great week and don’t forget to have fun with your food, too!

Enjoy!
B&H =;)