I use whatever cheese we have. Chipped ham as an add on if we have it. A thick slice of tomato if they’re in season. Good bread. A thin coating of Duke’s mayonnaise on each side, then cook in the air fryer, turning once. Served with a pickle spear on the side. Mmmmmmm
My MIL calls them toasted cheese sandwiches - dunno of that’s an Indiana thing or just her family.
For me, for comfort, it’s white bread, American cheese, buttered on the outside. If I’m feeling exotic, I’ll use provolone instead, or muenster. Spousal unit sometimes likes deli ham or some sliced onion added to the American cheese. I may have made it for him with pepper jack, too.
I’ve tried using 12-grain bread, which is my go-to most of the time, but it’s just not the same as white.
Dammit, now I want one.
Mayo in a pinch, or for a crowd of kids. Otherwise, butter. Real butter, not oleo, margarine, or something called “spread.”
I’m not really a food snob, but I can’t say I’ve ever used or eaten Velveeta. I’m not really sure what it is or why I should use it. I do buy Kraft slices for the kids, or when I want a comfort food. Otherwise I like to grate a mixture of cheddar – preferably sharp – and Gruyere.
Having finally Googled Velveeta, it looks like a block of cheese-like product. Is it the same stuff as Kraft singles before slicing, or something else entirely? It doesn’t look like it would grate well. It also looks more firm than, say, Cheez Whiz (See! told you I wasn’t a food snob!).
It’s very similar to a block of the stuff they make “slices” out of. It’s a little softer, and maybe a little tangier. I don’t think I’ve every purchased it, but I’ve eaten it.
Block cheese (Velveta or “American”) is better than the individually wrapped slices, imho, because the slices taste like plastic. I used to buy sliced American cheese when it was just sliced, not wrapped, and it was a pain to peel apart the slices. I liked it for stuff like grilled cheese. But I stopped eating it when the individually wrapped stuff took over the market, because of the nasty off-flavor. Maybe they use a better wrapping today.
The individually wrapped stuff is actually a different product entirely than deli sliced American cheese. OK in a pinch I guess, but genuine American cheese is noticeably better, and you can get it everywhere, you just have to find it in the case, or get it at the deli counter.
I know it’s still possible to get sliced American cheese, but I ate it because it was convenient. If I’m going to go to any trouble to buy cheese, I may as well get good cheese. I have some cheddar and some parmesan in my fridge, and, huh, some not-quite-as-fresh-as-it-should-be mozzerella that I ought to have today for lunch. The cheddar is a nice aged one, and the parmesan is a block of real parmesan. I am a foodie, I just have fond memories of Velveta.
Mexican Velveeta makes for great grilled cheese sandwiches. No lie.
Velveeta isn’t really like deli/block American cheese. First, it’s shelf stable, so it is not sold in the refrigerated section. Its texture is much more like Kraft singles (as opposed to the deli slices), except even softer. It’s not quite spreadable, but it’s not far off that consistency. You can cut it with a plastic knife or even with your finger.
Velveeta is classified as a “cheese product.” Kraft singles are also a type of “cheese product.” Kraft Deli slices are “process American cheese.” So Velveeta is similar to those individually-wrapped Kraft singles,but it seems to have a little more zing to it. But it’s not as good as some deli slices of American.
There’s nothing quite as comforting as a gooey grilled cheese sandwich dunked in a bowl of tomato soup or bisque.
I stick to the basics, no weird stuff between the slices of bread, just a couple slices of real deli American cheese (Cooper American is best), or sometimes 1 slice of American and 1 slice of Swiss cheese to give it a little zing.
The bread is important. A nice crusty artisan bread is my go-to, but in a pinch, I’ll go low-brow with plain white sandwich bread.
I grill on a non-stick fry-pan coated with butter and/or bacon grease, till both sides are dark golden brown. The sandwich must be cut on the diagonal (catty-corner), never horizontally, or vertically—we’re not heathens, after all.
Sometimes I’ll fry up a tomato slice or two, as a side…but never inside the sandwich. Some things in life should not tampered with, or adulterated—a grilled cheese sandwich is one of those things.
Velveeta is like a fine aged Cheddar compared with some of those individually wrapped slices. It was the only way we ever made grilled cheese sammiches growing up, I didn’t think there was any other way to make them. It does have its uses - for making chip dips, for example. Philly cheese, salsa, jalapeños and other ingredients blend together to make an arteriosclerotic delight. A small amount incorporated into your favorite does improve melting qualities. 1/3 each of Velveeta, cold Butter, Sour Cream whipped smooth makes a fine baked potato topping.
I can say never buy “store brand” ersatz Velveeta. Locally Velveeta has been creeping up in price in recent years, to the point I would just buy sharp Cheddar since it’s practically the same cost per pound. That was the real reason most families purchased Velveeta, back in the day, it was far less expensive than genuine cheese. Cheddar locally jumped in price from about $9 to $12 for a 2lb block. I suppose Velveeta will leap-frog soon.
Yeah, it’s about $4/lb if you buy a 2-lb brick of it. I can actually get reasonable cheese on sale for that price (or a buck more a pound) at my local deli. It’s one of those things that feels like it should be cheaper than it is. Occasionally, said deli will have blocks of Velveeta on clearance (when it’s near its “best by” date) for $1/lb. Now that’s more like it.
My gf likes deli sliced Land-O-Lakes American cheese. She calls it “melty cheese”, I had a crisis thinking that the local grocery store thought American cheese was funny. Their sign would periodically show a sale price as “LOL American Cheese”. Turns out, LOL was an abbreviation for Land O’ Lakes, no joke intended.
They have an Italian blend that I used to love, but I haven’t seen it around either of the delis I shop at. They have like 4 different types of LOL process cheese, but nobody seems to carry the Italian one anymore…although now after Googling it, it seems like there are a lot of angry customers out there and LOL changed their recipe for that particular blend, and everyone used to the old blend seems to think its sucks. So, maybe I’ll hold on to my memories of it.
Few years back the young woman at the grocery checkout began giggling at the label on a deli package that read “LOL CHEESE”. Her friend helping her bag explained it to her. After securing all my groceries safely in the cart I said “Good thing I didn’t buy some Oh My God salami” inducing giggles from both of them. Not that good of joke unless there is a product with that name, but they were a great audience.
Also, maybe i should start a thread on this: Does anyone know about Sweet Mun-chee cheese? I can’t find it around here, it was available some places in PA in NY. Absolutely delicious type of American cheese. Wish I could get it again. Great mild cheese for sandwiches grilled or not.
Yes! We always had Sweet Mun-chee cheese when I grew up in NJ in the 80s. Have never found it elsewhere.
My deli carries it for $9-$10/lb. I bought it a year or two ago, remembering it from childhood, but my tastes have changed in the interim and I don’t think it’s anywhere near worth the price.
That is too much for what it is. I recall a price a little higher than something like LOL American but that’s substantially higher.
Marble rye, swiss cheese, hot mustard, thin sliced tomato… Melt butter, grill on both sides, serve with a dill pickle and potato chips… Heaven!
Smear some stone ground mustard on my cheese toastie, thanks!
While there is a disagreement about in-sandwich additions to a grilled cheese, I wanted to ask a follow-up after reading:
(pardon my snipping before and after please)
When I mentioned my preferences, I said I do like mine (dark pumpernickel & Swiss with butter) with thin sliced bacon inside. Now, one of the reasons I specified this, is that for me at least, I want anything inside to add flavor, but without compromising adhesion of the two sides and perfect meltyness. I find any chunky or thick internal additions seriously compromise that goal, in the same way an overstuffed meat quesadilla does.
Not that I’m objecting to fresh-in-season tomatoes, I’m eating a glut of the things right now with all happiness as despite multiple weather setbacks, my MiL’s garden is producing. 5 quarts of homemade tomato basil garlic (all garden grown) is freezing, and over 5 llbs (pre-dried weight) of dehydrated slices for long term storage in addition to eating 2-3 a day fresh.
But for any ingredient, be it ham, bacon, tomatoes or what have you, am I the only one that worries about failure to melt/adhere?