April 12, 2023
Introduction: Since April is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Month, Gena Philibert-Ortega searches old newspapers to find delicious recipes. Gena is a genealogist and author of the book “From the Family Kitchen.”
The month of April is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Month – and today, April 12, is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day! Although it may seem like the easiest sandwich to make, there are some delicious ways to make it even tastier with a little more effort.
Do you add ingredients to your grilled cheese, or are you content to keep it simple? Searching old newspapers, such as GenealogyBank’s Historical Newspaper Archives, for recipes provides some creative ideas for a new take on an old favorite.
Much More than Cheese
Grilled cheese is an easy sandwich, right? It’s simply buttered bread with cheese that is cooked. But you can add other ingredients to that foundation to create a great sandwich.
An obvious addition is ham (or other protein) – but don’t forget other ingredients like vegetables or fruits.
One easy addition are pickles. I’m a big fan of pickles, and this 1958 recipe suggests adding a pickle to bread and cheese and then broiling it. While the recipe calls for a “sweet candied” pickle, I would try a dill pickle. Other pickled vegetables would also help to add a kick to grilled cheese, such as jalapenos or onions.
This grilled cheese club sandwich is full of veggies that would give the creamy, gooey sandwich some crunch. Additional ingredients are sliced onions, tomato, cucumber, green pepper, and cheese.
Everything Is Better with Bacon
Ham is an obvious addition to grilled cheese sandwiches, but bacon makes for another good choice. This 1935 sandwich includes a dash of ketchup spread on toasted bread. Uncooked bacon is added with cheese and then placed under the broiler.
Historical newspapers have several recipes that combine grilled cheese with bacon. This one includes tomatoes and mustard with bread, cheese, and bacon.
Something Different
If you are looking for something a bit more adventurous, you may want to try this 1954 Hawaiian cheese sandwich. The recipe calls for butter and mustard spread on two slices of bread. Add cheese and then drained, crushed pineapple and another slice of cheese.
Another fruity addition to grilled cheese is suggested in this next recipe using raisin bread and applesauce. This sandwich is baked in the oven and would be a unique take on the standard savory grilled cheese.
Grilled cheese sandwiches use bread – but there’s nothing wrong with reimagining the sandwich with a substitution such as a waffle. If you have a waffle maker you could create all kinds of new, improved grilled cheese sandwiches.
What Will You Create?
Not sure what to make for dinner? Consider setting up a “grilled cheese sandwich bar” that includes various types of breads, cheeses, proteins, veggies, and condiments. Provide options for cooking sandwiches, including a pan or grill on the stove, waffle maker, panini press, or the oven. Consider printing historical grilled cheese recipes for inspiration. You might be surprised by what new tasty combinations you find!
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Note on the header image: grilled cheese. Credit: Maggie Hoffman; Wikimedia Commons.
