Grilled Cheese strictly an American thing?

I don't think anyone has said there is anything bad about a grilled cheese sandwich?

I don't believe I implied people were saying anything bad about "the sandwich". LOL And if they did, fair play to them.

I've just had this discussion with my husband and his relatives before. And some of them go on about how fat-laden and horrible grilled cheese sandwiches sound, and I remember all the strange food combinations I saw my husband scoff when we were first together.

Maybe it is a vocabulary issue. I certainly don't consider browning bread using a minute amount of butter to be frying, but maybe it is over here!

We differentiate between shallow, deep and even dry frying but they are all types of frying.  Would it be true to say that American-English requires a certain amount of fat in the pan to be classed as frying?  If so what is the common term for cooking with less than this amount of fat?

Back to grilled cheese, one thing I love from my visits to the states are Grilled Cheese sandwiches made with that "Swiss" cheese that is common.  It's a shame that it's not available over here.

Hmm. In terms of "fried food", I think most Americans only consider something "fried" if it's been in a deep fryer, like fish and chips. I don't even call cooking a gardenburger on the stove in a frying pan "frying".  I think the term "grilled" would probably be used for everything else. Maybe "browning" (as in, browning ground beef for sauce). Although I do consider eggs and bacon to be "fried" items, so maybe it's just an arbitrary term. 

You can have all the Swiss Cheese you want! LOL I am not a fan of it,and trying to explain what it was to Tim was hilarious.  I finally settled on calling it "holey cheese". 

You can have all the Swiss Cheese you want! LOL I am not a fan of it,and trying to explain what it was to Tim was hilarious.  I finally settled on calling it "holey cheese". 

Only on a grilled cheese sandwich (or at push melted on a burger) otherwise it is nasty.

It obviously has its roots as an Americanised version of Emmental but has been adapted so much that real Emmental is quite far removed.  But in this case only the fake stuff will do!  Like in the syrup thread on the go, a lot of people prefer "maple flavor" to real maple syrup

hehehehe  Right. See, and this is why we should *always* click the "search" button first.  *shakes head* Feel free to dunce cap me.

You'll get no dunce-capping from me!    For months after I came on this site I couldn't find anything with the search, until somebody recommended I try googling instead.  I think the search function has been improved but I certainly wouldn't criticize anyone.  Just thought I'd link the other thread.  It's obviously a popular topic!

I'm with Abby Normal - I had a bowl of cream of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch.  My husband had that too.  Even the English can be converted. 

Spaghetti on toast? Please explain!

My husband grew up in a poor family, with two brothers. And they ate a lot of carbs.

One of his favorite meals is to eat Heinz tinned spag bag while dumped over several slices of toast. 

I don't think anyone has said there is anything bad about a grilled cheese sandwich?

Maybe it's a vocabulary issue?  In the common British-English usage of the word cooking something in a frying pan using any amount of fat (including a thin spread of butter) is frying.

We differentiate between shallow, deep and even dry frying but they are all types of frying. 

I'm American, and this is my definition of frying as well. Frying = cooking in oil (melted fat, e.g. butter = oil).

You'll get no dunce-capping from me!    For months after I came on this site I couldn't find anything with the search, until somebody recommended I try googling instead.  I think the search function has been improved but I certainly wouldn't criticize anyone.  Just thought I'd link the other thread.  It's obviously a popular topic!

Thanks!  I've been on places where you get jumped on for repeating an old topic, so it's actually refreshing to NOT get jumped on for it

Only on a grilled cheese sandwich (or at push melted on a burger) otherwise it is nasty.

It obviously has its roots as an Americanised version of Emmental but has been adapted so much that real Emmental is quite far removed.  But in this case only the fake stuff will do!  Like in the syrup thread on the go, a lot of people prefer "maple flavor" to real maple syrup

Hehe.  I'm allergic to maple, so I can't have the real kind anyway.  Sad, really. 

"Swiss cheese" is sort of like "American cheese". It's really just processed fake cheese, but people eat it anyway!

My husband grew up in a poor family, with two brothers. And they ate a lot of carbs.

One of his favorite meals is to eat Heinz tinned spag bag while dumped over several slices of toast. 

Sounds a bit...bizarre.  I might have been alright with the idea of Spaghetti-Os on toast, since I've also heard of  a "grilled Spaghetti-O sandwich", but something sounds a bit bizarre about putting long spaghetti on toast  

Sounds a bit...bizarre.  I might have been alright with the idea of Spaghetti-Os on toast, since I've also heard of  a "grilled Spaghetti-O sandwich", but something sounds a bit bizarre about putting long spaghetti on toast  

Spaghetti Hoops on Toast was a regular lunch time meal when I was growing up, a few weekends ago I even fed it to my neices!

My fave way of doing cheese on toast / grilled cheese sandwich is on a George Foreman grill.
Vicky

Me too.  Though I do enjoy making it in the toaster with a toaster bag.  But on the GF grill, it comes out perfect each time.

Grilled cheese with tomato, grilled cheese with bacon, grilled cheese with tomato and bacon, grilled cheese with ham, grilled cheese with ham and tomato... oh a great version is alton brown's:

2 slices of bread, cut thin (as far as bread selection goes, all I’ll say is the bigger the loaf the bigger the sandwich)
1 teaspoon (or more) smooth Dijon mustard
1 cup Grated cheese (This is the soul of the thing, so use the good stuff. We like a semi-hard, semi-soft combo like smoked gouda and Gruyere or Fontina with a young Asiago. If you’re a purist, go for the Cheddar, but make it sharp and aged if possible.)
Good quality olive oil for spritzing.

Then squishes it between two fry pans

My favorite way to make it though is grilled cheese sandwiched with ketchup and pickles 

Tim's Toasted Cheese: Put bread under the grill, until it browns, then turn it, and place the cheese on the uncooked side until it bubbles and starts to brown.

Cheese on toast

Becca's Grilled Cheese: Butter two pieces of bread, heat frying pan on stove.  Place bread butter side down in pan, add slices of cheese, top with other piece of bread butter side up. Grill one side, flip. 

Cheese toastie - could be done in a sandwich toaster but I do them as you describe.

I have had cheese on toast I do like it alot but I prefer a toasted cheese sandwich I cook mine on the GF grill. I always have mine with Campbells Tomato soup to me it reminds me of when I would spend time with my grandma when I was a little girl.

I must admit, when I first heard of the US way of doing these I balked at the amount of fat involved - cheese and butter seems unecessary. 

Seems unnecessary true, but most I've found butter inside most of my freshly made sandwiches.   You name it, cheese and pickle, tuna and mayo, cheese and chicken... now that makes me hurl! I don't use margarine or vegetable spreads.

Seems unnecessary true, but most I've found butter inside most of my freshly made sandwiches.   You name it, cheese and pickle, tuna and mayo, cheese and chicken... now that makes me hurl! I don't use margarine or vegetable spreads.

I don't like butter on my sandwiches either I can eat them that way but I prefer not to if I can help it. When Dh & I were home last Nov 07 hubby was making himself a sandwich the way he does in England. my niece was making weird faces at me asking me why he was putting butter on his sandwich I said thats the way his family & most of his friends make there sandwiches in the UK.

Seems unnecessary true, but most I've found butter inside most of my freshly made sandwiches.   You name it, cheese and pickle, tuna and mayo, cheese and chicken... now that makes me hurl! I don't use margarine or vegetable spreads.

Yuck.  I'm not a fan of butter to begin with,and only use it on the outside of grilled cheese...I even eat toast dry!

I have had cheese on toast I do like it alot but I prefer a toasted cheese sandwich I cook mine on the GF grill. I always have mine with Campbells Tomato soup to me it reminds me of when I would spend time with my grandma when I was a little girl.

I love tomato soup and grilled cheese . Campbell's Vegetarian vegetable is my comfort soup.

One of his favorite meals is to eat Heinz tinned spag bag while dumped over several slices of toast. 

Oooh, I haven't had tinned spag on toast for ages!  Brilliant, and a staple Sunday night tea at my house back in the '80's.

Another thing we used have back in the '80's was the Breville Sandwich toaster.  I wonder is there a US equivalent?  It not only toasts the bread and melts the cheese, but it pinches the edges of the bread together so that the filling can't drop out. So you can have loads of wierd fillings, like cheese and beans! Yum!

Vicky