Any sandwich that is good can be made better by grilling it with butter ... and adding bacon. This is just such a story.
I was walking though Central Market a few years ago and they were sampling in the cheese department. CM is one of the great places to go for samples. What drew me over was the smell of grilled butter.
Today's sample was a grilled cheese sandwich, but not just ANY kind of grilled cheese.
Their recipe was for some English white cheddar cheese on fresh CM bread with a bit of apple butter, then grilled. The apple butter added some spices and sweetness to the cheese. The grilling made it complete.
Before you think it's too off beat, remember the pairing of apples and cheese has been around for some time. It's a natural on an hors d'oeuvres tray, as well as that apple pie with cheddar recipe. I managed to get a second sample just to make sure this grilled sandwich version was a good taste fit. Yummmm. It was.
I've made it at home a few times through the years, tweaking and fiddling. Shredded cheddar works well for me, but use what you like ... Velveeta, Kraft singles, Mozzarella, Gouda.
A teaspoon of apple butter on each slice of bread (on the inside). My favorite brand is Bama, but it has a little extra heavy spice. Use what you like and what you have. I've also made it with other jellies and preserves (I like to try new things - think "what fruits do you like to eat with cheese?").
Thennnn ... I added some crumbled pieces of a cooked slice of applewood smoked bacon (cooking note - cook the bacon first). I'm not gonna kid you and say I haven't used MORE bacon than a slice. But that took away from the cheese and apple butter flavors. One slice is nice.
When I grill, I get the iron skillet medium hot and rub the butter in the skillet, then turn it down on medium and start toasting the sandwich. I lift it out, rub the stick of butter in the skillet again (you can see I use exact measurements), flip sandwich, and continue toasting until melted and toasted.
What kind of bread to use? White? Whole wheat? Texas toast? Yes, I've used them all. There's even a suggestion to use olive bread or rosemary bread from the CM chefs. Play with it and your taste buds.
Serve this with a soup, a salad, your favorite wine ... or all three. Enjoy Grilled Cheese month!
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