It’s not until the 1960’s that America starts calling them “Grilled Cheese”, for not entirely well-established reasons, but I think presumably as kids and sailors who ate it during the war came back and began ordering it at restaurants and diners, where they were likely cooked on griddles, also known as “flat-top …
With the huge increase in restaurant dining in the 1920s, inexpensive loaves of bread and processed cheese acted as a catalyst for public consumption of grilled cheese. In fact, by the time the Great Depression struck, grilled cheese sandwiches were a staple of the American diet. In its earliest form, a grilled cheese sandwich was made open faced with grated American cheese. Popular toppings included tomatoes, eggs, pineapple, and bacon. Eventually, people began closing the sandwich with a second piece of bread – mainly to make the meal a more filling one. Poor Americans in the 1930s could usually afford an inexpensive grilled cheese sandwich, which provided enough nutrition to get them back to work.
Today, grilled cheese is found on menus for both delis and five-star restaurants! Innovators have served it on various breads, experimented with different kinds of cheese, and even added meat into the mix. Grilled cheese still stands as kids’ all-time favorite, but it is also a recognized comfort food for grownups. Pairing a grilled cheese sandwich with a bowl of tomato soup warms the bones and the heart!
According to food historians, mankind has paired bread with cheese for centuries. Even ancient Roman cookbooks advised combining bread and cheese at mealtimes! Cooking bread and cheese together, however, is a more recent phenomenon. Although no one can pinpoint the precise origin of grilled cheese, the sandwich became very popular in the 1920s. That’s when scholars speculate some enterprising individual came up with the idea to make a grilled cheese sandwich, but the idea quickly spread commercially as well as in the home.
Depending on your taste, start by trying our grilled cheese made with American and cheddar jack, paired with a warm bowl of tomato soup to make the perfect dipping duo. If you want to venture out a bit, go with the garlic avocado grilled cheese made with avocado, sun dried tomato pesto, muenster cheese grilled in garlic butter and a side of fries. Drooling yet? Curious to see our other cheesy options? Feel free to browse our online menu or stop by one of our three locations to try one for yourself! Ask about our specials to see if we have any new creations for you to devour.
We are curious what the next 100 years of grilled cheese will look like, but whatever it may be, we hope to be a part of it!
Through the American Great Depression of the 1930’s, the grilled cheese remained popular due to its inexpensive ingredients. Then, during World War II, the Allied forces continued to enjoy the sandwich as it made its way into cookbooks found in the chef’s kitchens. Before long, it was seen regularly in schools and in your average household. It was on its way to becoming the kids’ favorite meal.
This comfort food, with around 100 years of successfully feeding the American population, continues with its evergreen status on menus around the country. At the Committed Pig, we like to think our grilled cheese sandwiches are a work of art, as we take the concept of the traditional recipe and expand upon it with delicious fixings.
Although the idea of putting bread and cheese together has been around since ancient times, the grilled cheese we know and love was thought to have originated in the United States during the 1920’s. At the time, loaves of bread were inexpensive and processed cheese had gained popularity, becoming readily available to the people. The grilled cheese quickly became a basic part of the average person’s diet and it’s not hard to see why.
Why Grilled Cheese in Restaurants are Better
FAQ
Why do they call it a grilled cheese sandwich?
What do Brits call a grilled cheese sandwich?
What’s the difference between grilled cheese and toasted cheese?
Who calls it a toasted cheese sandwich?
Where did grilled cheese sandwiches come from?
Grilled cheese sandwiches have been around in some form or another for centuries. The ancient Romans were known to make a version with ricotta cheese and honey between two slices of bread. However, the first recorded grilled cheese sandwich is said to have come from the United States in the 1920s.
How do you make a grilled cheese sandwich?
A grilled cheese made with American cheese served with a bowl of tomato soup A grilled cheese with sharp cheddar cheese, walnut bread and butter A grilled cheese sandwich is made by placing a cheese filling, often cheddar or American cheese, between two slices of bread, which is then heated until the bread browns and the cheese melts.
What is a grilled cheese sandwich?
Dave Buresh/Getty Images In 2021, Everglazed, a doughnut shop at Walt Disney World in Florida, began selling its “Grilled Cheeeeeese” sandwich, a strangely sweet take on the classic grilled cheese sandwich, made with cheese grilled inside a sliced glazed doughnut instead of bread.
Are there different types of grilled cheese sandwiches?
Today, there are countless versions of grilled cheese sandwiches depending on various types of cheeses and breads used and toppings added. Culinary Beets notes that the grilled cheese isn’t strictly an American food, but variations of the sandwich exist across cultures, including the toastie in England and the bauru in Brazil.