From classic white bread and yellow mild cheddar to a gourmet French baguette with brie, the combinations are endless, depending on what is in the cupboard and the extent of your imagination.
April has been dubbed National Grilled Cheese Month. While the designation is clearly a marketing ploy by American cheese producers, we like the idea of paying homage to this simple staple.
Today we showcase seven melty masterpieces served at Utah restaurants and offer tips and recipes for making the perfect toasty cheese sandwich at home.
A daily dose ($7): When they first opened four years ago, the owners of the Citris Grill decided to offer a "grilled cheese sandwich of the day" hoping to showcase the variety of cheeses in the refrigerator. Four years later, the idea is a customer favorite. One day the special is brie and red pears, another day it's goat cheese and roasted red pepper or fresh mozzarella, tomato and golden balsamic dressing. The sandwiches are served with a choice of soup, salad or French fries.
Citris Grill, 2991 E. 3300 South, Salt Lake City; 801-466-1202.
Chubby cheese ($7.99): For those who need beef with their grilled cheese, there is "The Chubby Melt" at the Copper Creek Pub and Grill in West Valley City and Park City. Two grilled cheese sandwiches made with sourdough bread are the "bun" for a half-pound hamburger patty topped with grilled onions, mushrooms and Thousand Island dressing. There is a Southwest variation with jalapeños and another with bacon and ranch. Chubby Melts come with fries and are - no surprise - the restaurant's "biggest" seller.
Copper Creek Pub and Grill, 3451 S. 5600 West, West Valley City; 801-417-0051 or 825 Main St., Park City, 435-615-9900.
Melty Mondays ($6.95): The Monday special at Salt Lake City's Carlucci's Bakery is everything cheese connoisseurs want: cheddar and mozzarella on white or nine-grain bread, served with homemade tomato basil soup and a side of pasta salad. Can't make it on Mondays? Carlucci's will make it upon request (as long as the grill is on).
Carlucci's Bakery, 314 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City; 801-366-4484.
Garden goodness ($8.99): On the 10th floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial building, the toasted BLT sandwich gets a twist. Just call it the BCT - bacon, cheddar and tomato, grilled on sourdough bread. Served with pasta salad and chips. On a budget? Something similar is offered for $5.29 at the Nauvoo Cafe, the building's street level, cafeteria-style restaurant.
The Garden Restaurant, 15 E. South Temple (10th floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building), Salt Lake City; 801-539-1911.
A French toast ($8): Tin Angel owners Jerry and Kestrel Liedtke were on vacation in Paris when they purchased a fresh baguette filled with warm goat cheese, brie, provolone and fresh basil from a street vendor. The combination made them melt. Now a similar sandwich is available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. as part of the restaurant's regular lunch menu. Served with choice of green salad, potato salad or Terra chips.
The Tin Angel Cafe, 365 W. 400 South, Salt Lake City; 801-328-4155.
Triple threat ($8.45): The "Ultimate Grilled Cheese" at the Avenues Bakery & Bistro lives up to its name with a combination of provolone, brie and asiago cheese grilled on house-made rosemary bread. It comes with a side of fresh organic greens. Served daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Avenues Bakery & Bistro, 481 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City; 801-746-5626.
Italian style ($4.99): Pesto may be for pasta, but at Zupas, the basil sauce also serves as a flavorful, Italian-style spread on the Ultimate Grilled Cheese. Made on ciabatta bread, the sandwich includes cheddar, Muenster and tomato slices, all grilled "panini-style." It comes with a chocolate-dipped strawberry on the side.
Zupas, 64 E. 12300 South, Draper; 801-542-7020; and 404 W. 2230 North, Provo; 801-377-7687.
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* KATHY STEPHENSON can be contacted at kathys@ sltrib.com or 801-257-8612. Send comments about this story to livingeditor@sltrib.com.
Tips for enjoying the perfect grilled cheese sandwich
* Use real butter. It adds flavor and creates the ultimate golden toast.
* Butter the bread, not the pan. Butter is more evenly distributed that way and ensures a crisp sandwich.
* When using dense bread, slice thinly so that the heat can penetrate and melt the cheese.
* If your budget doesn't allow for expensive cheeses, condiments such as apples or tomatoes can easily punch up the flavor.
* Grate or shred the cheese; it will melt faster.
* Press the sandwich with a spatula after it has been flipped to help create an even spread of cheese.
* Use a nonstick pan instead of cast-iron. The sandwich is less likely to stick and clean-up is easier.
Source: Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.
Grilled cheese facts
* American cheese, which melts quicker, is the most popular cheese chosen for a grilled cheese sandwich. Cheddar and Swiss are second and third, respectively.
* About 22 percent of U.S. households serve grilled cheese sandwiches at least once in a two-week period.
* The majority - 64 percent - of all grilled cheese sandwiches are consumed at lunch.
* In 2004, a grilled cheese sandwich bearing the image of the Virgin Mary sold for $28,000 on eBay. The owner saw the likeness toasted onto the sandwich and kept it for 10 years before auctioning it on the site.
* Americans make 2.2 billion grilled cheese sandwiches at home each year.
Source: Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.
Classic grilled cheese
8 slices firm-textured sandwich bread
3 to 4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 pound (8 ounces) cheddar cheese, mild, medium or sharp, grated
Mayonnaise, optional
Mustard, optional
Lay bread slices on a cutting board or work surface. Spread each slice with butter. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Place four slices in frying pan, buttered side down. Evenly divide grated cheddar over bread slices. Top with remaining four slices.
Cook until undersides are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip sandwiches with spatula and continue cooking, 2 to 3 minutes, until cheese is melted and undersides are browned.
Spread bread slices with a thin layer of mayonnaise and/or mustard, if using. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 sandwiches.
Source: Adapted from Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.
Grilled cheese on white bread
1 cup grated manchego cheese
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 slices white bread
8 tablespoons butter, divided
In a large bowl, mix cheeses. Lay bread slices on a cutting board or work surface. Spread each slice with butter. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Place two slices in frying pan, buttered side down. Evenly divide grated cheese over bread slices. Top with remaining two slices.
Cook until undersides are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip sandwiches with spatula and continue cooking, 2 to 3 minutes, until cheese is melted and undersides are browned.
Let cool for a few minutes then carefully slice diagonally.
Makes 2 sandwiches.
Source: Adapted from Beautiful Breads and Fabulous Fillings, by Margaux Sky (Thomas Nelson, $24.99)
Ultimate grilled cheese sandwich
Butter
4 slices country white sourdough bread, cut on deep diagonal into 1/3 -inch-thick slices
4 thin slices of prosciutto
8 large fresh basil leaves
8 ( 1/4 -inch-thick) slices Asiago cheese or drained fresh mozzarella cheese
Salt
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 or 2 large heirloom tomatoes, cut into six ( 1/3 -inch-thick) slices
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter one side of each bread slice. Place two bread slices, buttered sides down, on a work surface. Top each with two prosciutto slices, four basil leaves and four cheese slices. Sprinkle with salt and crushed red pepper. Top with remaining two bread slices, buttered sides up.
Heat olive oil in a heavy large ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat. Add sandwiches to pan and cook until golden on bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn sandwiches. Transfer pan to oven and bake until golden and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
Remove from oven. Carefully lift top bread slice from sandwich and insert three tomato slices into each sandwich. Cover and serve.
Makes 2 sandwiches.
Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, October 2006
Grilled ham, brie and blue cheese
2 slices ( 1/2 -inch-thick) rustic white country bread or hearty raisin-pecan bread
1 tablespoon apricot or peach preserves
1 slice (1 1/2 ounces) brie
2 slices ham, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons crumbed blue cheese
1 teaspoon butter, melted
Spread one slice of bread with preserves. Top with brie, ham, blue cheese and second slice of bread. Heat nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Brush top and bottom of sandwich lightly with butter, Place sandwich in pan and cook about 4 minutes per side until lightly browned and cheese begins to melt.
Makes 1 sandwich.
Source: Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.
Ham and cheese with a twist
2 slices marble rye bread or pretzel roll
1 tablespoon honey-Dijon mustard
1 slice (1 ounce) Gouda cheese
2 slices ham, thinly sliced
2 thin slices red onion or caramelized onions*, optional
4 to 6 fresh spinach leaves, washed and patted dry
1 slice (1 ounce) dill Havarti cheese
1 teaspoon butter, melted
Spread bread slices with mustard. Layer Gouda, ham, onion, spinach and Havarti between bread. Heat nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Brush top and bottom of sandwich lightly with butter; place sandwich in pan and cook about 3 minutes per side until bread crisps slightly and cheese begins to melt.
* For caramelized onions, cut a small onion in half and slice thinly. Melt 1/2 teaspoon butter in a frying pan. Add onion slices, a pinch each of salt and sugar; cook and stir over medium-high heat about 5 minutes or until the onion begins to brown. Add 1 tablespoon water and continue cooking on medium-low heat 10 to 15 minutes or until onion is a deep golden brown.
Source: Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.
