Hello again, my friends! Thanks, as always, for taking the time to look me up; today's article will be sure to strike an old nerve (in a good way).
My wife and I just celebrated the arrival of our first son, which was a beautiful and emotional experience for us both. So, in an attempt to honor this most special of moments with my blog, I decided to choose a topic appropriate for the occasion; something that most everyone I grew up with can relate to, and something that still brings back fond childhood memories one bite at a time. Today we're going to explore a couple of childhood staples I grew up with, followed by some ways to cater to the more "adult" palate. Who says you can't spoil your inner child anyway?
When I think back to summers back on our family farm in Montana, I distinctly remember getting kicked out of the house after breakfast and only being allowed back inside under the most specific of circumstances: lunchtime, dinnertime, or natural disaster. And when the dinner bell rang, my mom always had something hot and delicious waiting for us. In that spirit, I want to devote today's post both to the childhood favorites I remember, and to my new son, who will be enjoying them in just a few short years. Today we'll be talking about Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Macaroni and Cheese. Oh, and one more thing...you're welcome!
In my opinion, cheese is a kid's best friend. Put cheese on or in anything, and you're sure to have some sort of favorite on your hands. I don't really remember the first time I ever had macaroni and cheese, or even a grilled cheese sandwich (always served with tomato soup in my house), but I know that I loved them then, and I love them even more now. Only today, they tend to overstay their welcome on my waistline. In my opinion these two simple dishes are the perfect cross of fun food for your kids and totally unnecessary comfort food for the adults :) And as an adult, you probably have had a lot more exposure to different flavors and different foods during your life, so you can throw a little flair into the mix and get creative.
So, let's start with the grilled cheese sandwich. When my mom made them, they were no more than white bread with American cheese slices (or Velveeta) toasted on both sides in a frying pan with butter. Simple, quick, and always hit the spot. And like I mentioned, we always served grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup for dipping. I still do that to this day, and I'm just as happy with tomato soup out of the can as I am with a freshly made roasted tomato and basil soup (there's your first way of getting creative).
Now, depending on your preferences (and, of course, what your kids like if you're cooking for them too), you have a couple ways to doll up the classic grilled cheese. Your options for change could include, but are not limited to: the bread, the cheese, spreads, and extra toppings.
First, you can change up your bread. I've seen grilled cheese made with everything from pumpernickel to standard white bread, and here's the trick to finding the best one for you: try a few and see what you like. For me, I prefer a really tangy sourdough bread. The flavor of sourdough meshes really nicely with the types of cheeses I like to put on my sandwiches, and provides a contrast to the sweetness of the tomato soup when I start dipping the sandwich. Also, I find that sourdough holds its shape and texture nicely when you start to smash it together and dip it in liquid.
Next, and most obviously, you can experiment with cheeses, and if you're an adult who's making some good old-fashioned comfort food for you and/or a guest or three, this is where the fun part is. I love cheese of all shapes, sizes, and flavors, and when I make grilled cheese at home, this is the perfect opportunity to head to the local market and load up on all sorts of artisan cheeses. And for those few that don't make the final cut for my sandwich, they have the honor of becoming part of an appetizer plate and being served with a delicious bottle of wine. It's really a win-win for everyone involved. My personal palate gravitates toward cheeses with robust, salty flavors. Cheddar of all kinds, Parmesan, asiago, and gruyere are all regular attendees at my sandwich parties. Occasionally, however, I'll choose something more mild and pair it up with a spread that imparts the robust flavors lacking in the cheese. If you've read my blog before, you'll know that my cooking is all about balancing flavors, and not letting a whole bunch of assertive ingredients have a battle royale on your taste buds. A good example of this would be to choose something like buffalo mozzarella and spread the inside of the sandwich with a nice, fresh pesto. You get the gooey, delicious (and slightly salty for good, fresh mozz) flavor of the cheese, and the saltiness and punch of the Parmesan and garlic in the pesto.
Now if toppings are something that make or break your sandwich, you could apply the same sort of flavor-balancing logic as with the pesto example above. If you weren't inclined to make a pesto, or don't want to put a messy spread on your sammy, you could consider some sort of cured meat (calabrese, soppresata, prosciutto, etc.) to add depth to the sandwich, and provide a salty or spicy counterpoint to a mild cheese. You could even add a handful of thinly-sliced pepperoncini or other pickled pepper to the mix. Of course, if you're not long on flavor-balancing, feel free to load it up. Go nuts with an habanero pepper jack cheese, a spicy brown mustard, and some sliced chiles. That would be sure to rip your face off, but as long as you're smiling, who cares :) As long as you keep the basic spirit of the grilled cheese, it's an empty canvas for you to experiment.
So there are a few ideas for your next foray into the land of grilled cheese. Now, let's switch gears just a little bit and talk about the other of my two childhood favorited: macaroni and cheese.
As with the grilled cheese discussion, getting sexy with your mac really boils down to the pasta you decide to use, and how you make the cheese sauce. Add-ons and/or toppings can also be a part of the mix, but I'm not going to devote a great deal of time to them. Try a few out (bacon, chiles, garlic, etc.) and see what you think. Of course, you can always just get it out of the box, but what kind of fun is that, really? When it comes to the pasta, choosing a good vehicle for maximum cheese transportation and bite-sized convenience is key. You could always go with standard macaroni, but other acceptable options could be: cavatelli, cavatappi, fusilli, penne, ziti, or even farfalle. Each of these types of pasta have compact, bite-sized shapes and some sort of texture on their surface to transport the maximum amount of cheese to your pie-hole with the minimum amount of effort.
Cheese and the resulting cheese sauce construction is next. My advice is to search for a basic recipe on how to make the sauce (there are literally tons out there), and then start to remove/replace items until you find one that's a winner. The basic sauce usually looks like butter, cheese, some sort of milk product, and a thickener. I personally am not a fan of using a thickener (like flour), opting instead for using the type and amount of cheese to thicken the sauce. In order to make the sauce velvety and smooth, I always use some sort of dairy. Typically, I opt for whole milk or cream. On occasion, if I'm constructing something really flavorful and assertive, I'll even use a little buttermilk. Consider adding yogurt, sour cream, or creme fraiche for an extra tangy punch. For the cheese, like with the grilled cheese sandwich, I personally like big, salty flavors, but also you have to think about how it melts together. Some cheeses tend to be grainy when they melt, and require an inordinate amount of milk or cream to tame them down, and sometimes you just don't get there. If you're just not sure, you could always just use something you're familiar with (a basic block of cheddar or monterey jack) and get that down before branching out. This is a great opportunity to get familiar with lots of different kinds of cheese, and have a lot of fun doing it. If you're in the mood for something way off the reservation, try a mix of Stilton and gorgonzola (if you've never heard of them, then this might be a great chance to try them!). That's about as funky as you'd want to get with mac and cheese. Pair it up with a big red wine, sprinkle on a generous handful of crispy bacon, and garnish with a few turns of black pepper. Magnifico!
There are literally too many permutations of flavors and ingredients to list here, but hopefully this is a conversation-starter for your next foray into these childhood classics. Whether you're cooking at home for your little ones, or taking a trip down memory lane with some comfort food, don't be afraid to experiment and come up with new and exciting combinations of flavor. Your biggest guideline is your own palate. As always, if you have some great new combinations to share, or even if you just want to make a comment on this post, I'd love to hear it. And feel free to email me at fearnotyourkitchen@gmail.com.
Until next time, my friends, I wish you happy cooking. Take care!
