ROUSES_JanFeb2019_Magazine

SOUP’S ON!

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3 you might try a smear of mayo. This will deliver extra crunchy bread, though I find the taste of the mayonnaise to be distract- ing from what I want, which is, yes, the cheese. If you’re going to layer in other fillings, make sure you’ve got cheese in contact with bread, with the filling in between layers of cheese.This ensures everything is blanketed in melted cheese. Speaking of other fillings, what might you want to consider or avoid? There are classic additions, like bacon or a slice of Creole tomato. Consider slow-roasted vegetables. Caramelized onions are espe- cially delicious with Swiss-type cheeses. It’s like eating a French onion soup sand- wich. Fresh greens, like arugula, lettuce or spinach, should be avoided. They wilt and get slimy, adding nothing to the expe- rience. If you’re craving veggies, go for cooked greens, like collards or blanched, chopped broccoli. But really, what makes a good grilled cheese so good is its perfect well-executed simplicity. And of course, there’s that bowl of tomato soup! 4

ing. This will take another 2 minutes, but the liquidy cheese melting out the sides is a good sign that you’re nearly there. Let’s Talk Cheese I’ve already admitted that American cheese has its own unique flavor that you’re not likely to get from another cheese. What you will get is a whole bunch of other milky, salty, tangy, nutty flavors that are amazingly delicious. Here are the cheese tips: Stick with semisoft to firm textured cheeses. The softest cheeses (like Brie) have an edible rind that never fully melts, so you wind up with a gooey interior layer and then chewy clumps of rind. It’s not great. Rock-hard cheeses (like Parmesan), meanwhile, don’t have enough moisture to melt, and what is the goal here if not gooey, gooey, gone? Remember that firmer cheeses are more aged cheeses and, accordingly, they are likely to have thick, hard rinds (or even wax rinds) that you need to remove before grating and melting. As with homemade mac and cheese, the best types of cheese to go for are the Havartis and young Goudas, or the Alpine (Swiss) style cheeses. Havarti types have a milder, milkier flavor that I actually add a sprinkle of kosher salt to before piling on my bread.The Swiss types are nuttier and more complex in flavor. I’m cautious about recommending Cheddar because only young Cheddars will melt evenly without getting greasy, so avoid aged or “sharp” or “extra sharp” Cheddars. For melting, you want a mild Cheddar. Look for these cheeses for ultimate melt- ability: Havarti Types Havarti; Havarti with Dill; Gouda; Smoked Gouda; Fontina Fontal; Fontina val d’Aosta; Midnight Moon (this has a sweeter flavor, more like caramel); Mediterranean Gouda; Cablanca Goat Gouda; Parrano; and Sweet Grass Dairy Thomasville Tomme Swiss Types Swiss; Swiss Emmentaler; Jarlsberg; Jarlsberg Lite; Madrigal French Swiss; Grand Cru; Karst Cave-Aged Cheese;

1 Should you wish to get more gourmand than the typical white bread and cheese route, here are some things to consider: Part of the beauty of grating your cheese is that you can grate different types and blend them together. This will allow you to add in very aged cheeses that are too dry to melt on their own. A fat pinch of Parmesan or Aged Gouda added to your cheese blend will pack in some serious toasted-nut flavor. In addition to buttering your bread slices, Pleasant Ridge Reserve; Gruyere; Cave- Aged Gruyere; and Comté Cheddar Types Henning’s Mild Cheddar; Red Dragon Mustard Seed and Ale; Cotswold; Kerry- gold Aged Cheddar with Irish Whiskey; Maple Smoked Cheddar; Excalibur Reserve 3 Month Cheddar; and New Bridge Mild Cheddar Fancy Things Up

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ROUSES CHEESEMONGER SAYS: Henning’s Wisconsin Cheese is a fourth- generation, family owned business based in Kiel, Wisconsin, in the heart of America’s Dairyland. 26 small local family farmers supply the 105-year-old cheese factory with the milk used to make their award-winning cheese. Henning’s Mild Cheddar is a classic, and perfect melted into grilled cheese.

everyday JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

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