# Perfect grilled cheese sandwich **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 3, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-grilled-cheese-sandwich/495223 "2009-05-03T23:24:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-grilled-cheese-sandwich/495223/61 "2009-05-04T18:15:37Z")
> [@ChefGuy](#): > > Over the years it has morphed into first a blend of colby and cheddar and then into the processed “food” that you find on shelves now, which is technically not really cheese, but a combination of ingredients that _looks_ like cheese. According to the FDA, American process cheese is 100% cheese. It’s the ‘cheese food’ that isn’t cheese. American cheese is a blend of Cheddar and Colby, but it’s still cheese. I know it’s confusing, but there’s American cheese that’s 100% cheese and other stuff that can’t be called cheese. I’m talking about the 100% cheese American cheese. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-grilled-cheese-sandwich/495223/62 "2009-05-04T18:23:45Z")
I made a grilled cheese the other day with sharp cheddar and cream cheese. It was very good and very creamy. StG ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-grilled-cheese-sandwich/495223/63 "2009-05-04T18:42:47Z")
My mother used to make grilled cheese with a thin layer of Thousand Island. So tasty. I’m gonna have to make that tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-grilled-cheese-sandwich/495223/64 "2009-05-04T19:16:14Z")
You know it is perfect if the [Virgin Mary](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4034787.stm) appears on it. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-grilled-cheese-sandwich/495223/65 "2009-05-04T19:16:29Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > According to the FDA, American process cheese is 100% cheese. It’s the ‘cheese food’ that isn’t cheese. American cheese is a blend of Cheddar and Colby, but it’s still cheese. I know it’s confusing, but there’s American cheese that’s 100% cheese and other stuff that can’t be called cheese. I’m talking about the 100% cheese American cheese. Yeah, I guess one could call it cheese, as it’s made from milk and milkfat and whey and other cow-y things. As Wiki says, the process stuff that’s in the single slices is poured onto the plastic and allowed to congeal, rather than cheese slices being individually wrapped, as one would suppose. The problem is that almost ALL American cheese is process food, definitions notwithstanding. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-grilled-cheese-sandwich/495223/66 "2009-05-04T19:22:52Z")
Grilled cheese sandwiches are done with American cheese singles, white sandwich bread, and butter. Anything else is good, but is not a grilled cheese sandwich. My favorite grilled sandwich which also happens to contain cheese as a main ingredient (not to be confused with a grilled cheese sandwich) is grilled goat cheese and fig jam on a sturdy white Italian bread. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-grilled-cheese-sandwich/495223/67 "2009-05-04T19:35:01Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > As Wiki says, the process stuff that’s in the single slices is poured onto the plastic and allowed to congeal, rather than cheese slices being individually wrapped, as one would suppose. The problem is that almost ALL American cheese is process food, definitions notwithstanding. Almost all of the individually wrapped slices you find in the dairy aisle are “process cheese food” the stuff poured into the plastic to congeal. If you go to the deli counter and get Land o Lakes or Boars Head American Cheese sliced fresh from the block, that’s almost definitely the real thing. The real thing being honest to goodness cheese that is pasteurized and processed with an emulsifier to develop that American Cheese texture. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-grilled-cheese-sandwich/495223/68 "2009-05-04T19:42:33Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > Grilled cheese sandwiches are done with American cheese singles, white sandwich bread, and butter. Anything else is good, but is not a grilled cheese sandwich. My son and I used to do cross-country trips and our favorite road food was grilled cheese sandwiches and chocolate milk. With a pickle. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-grilled-cheese-sandwich/495223.md?page=3)