Adult Grilled Cheese

So I am a broke college student who has his gf over for dinner a lot and I want to impress her. What can I do to make a grilled cheese more grown up. Any suggestions?

Lee and Perrins Worcestershire sauce

I can't tell if this is some elaborate in joke I don't get or not.

Some garlic powder and maybe some ham or some other meat thrown in there is always welcome.

What's so wrong about grilled cheese that you have to make it "more adult"? I'm confused.

You could also just make a melt by adding other stuff to it- if you feel grilled cheese is somehow too childish for some weird reason I really can't comprehend (who limits food stuff by age group? That's insane to me). Look, I don't know what your refrigerator situation is like, but adding turkey or ham or whatever to a grilled cheese is great. And then add some spices (I like to use seasoned salt, but you can experiment, there's a lot of spices that work).

You know, go nuts. Don't limit yourself. You'd be surprised how many crazy ways there are to make grilled cheese or melts. And it's all good for kids and adults. There's surprisingly no age gate to delicious food. It's amazing.

Texas toast.

I don't know why you're limiting yourself to grilled cheese, but I guess the number one recommendation is to use good cheese. Don't just slap a Kraft single on there. You can still go with American, but you could also try branching out into something like pepperjack or gouda, maybe even pair it with something like feta or mozzarella that won't really work well on their own but can enhance.

Properly toast the bread. Use butter or mayo, possibly some salt and/or pepper.

Consider adding something else into the mix and make it a melt: mushrooms, deli meats, spinach, bacon, jalapeno, guacamole. You've got a ton of options, but it'll really depend on your taste.

http://www.grilledcheeseacademy.com/contest

Aite after seeing some extra comments I guess this isn't a joke, and I also guess grilled cheese doesn't actually mean what I thought it did. I thought the dude meant like a baked Camembert or Brie.

Ah, my child, your question shows you still have much to learn about the Way of the Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

The most basic tenant of the Way is that there is no such thing as a "grown-up" grilled cheese. There is only the wondrous simplicity of the basic grilled cheese sandwich. This isn't to say you don't have options. For example, there are many acceptable kinds of cheese to put on your sandwich, like cheddar, provolone or swiss (weird cheeses like feta or blue cheese are not acceptable. These are only used by hipsters and foodies).You also have a choice of bread, like white bread or sourdough.

Some people will do stupid things like put tomatoes on their grilled cheese. These people are heathens and should not be allowed to reproduce. Don't be one of those people.

If you are wise, you will respect the grilled cheese. Do not attempt to make it more "grown up" or "fancy." To do so is not the Way. The true Way is simplicity and creamy goodness. If your girlfriend cannot respect the Way, she is not true girlfriend material.

I use this most of the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlTCkNkfmRY

Make a tuna melt with pepper jack cheese.

15 different artisanal cheeses, you guys! 15 different artisanal cheeses.

i'm in the mindset that if you put more than cheese on a grilled cheese that it just becomes a regular sandwich with toasted bread.

I consider myself a foodie, and no. Just...no.

If you want to impress her, you can pair the sandwich with a good quality tomato bisque. Not Campbells, something preferably made with actual cream garnished with croutons.

I don't think crumble cheese works well on grilled cheese in general anyway. I've never tried it, though. Hmm... I may now. Thanks for that idea.

Some people will do stupid things like put tomatoes on their grilled cheese. These people are heathens and should not be allowed to reproduce. Don't be one of those people.

Nothing wrong with those people. We call it a melt, though (I don't like tomatoes but other stuff works too). It's not a grilled cheese anymore, though, if you add anything other than cheese to a grilled cheese. I feel it's important I keep mentioning that haha

If you are wise, you will respect the grilled cheese. Do not attempt to make it more "grown up" or "fancy."

How do you make a sandwich fancy? Get it a suit and make sure it gets to church on time, obviously. =P

Soaking your grilled cheese in bourban.

I did security at a fancy VIP-only showing of a traveling photography exhibit recently, and they were serving grilled cheese sandwiches as part of the refreshments. And you know what? It was nice bread, nice cheese, but nothing beyond that. Everyone loved it. They had caviar etc as well, but people were really into the grilled cheese. I even got a couple at the end of my shift, and they were delicious.

sourdough bread & smoked cheddar

Feh! Sometimes I just want to eat like a five year old. Margarine up a couple slices of cheap bread, throw a Kraft single in there, cook it up, and dip that sucker in some Campbell's tomato soup like nature intended.

... Oh god, I'm becoming Dan. If I ever say "this sandwich could use more pizza rolls", somebody slap me.

F'real, though, a well-made grilled cheese with quality ingredients and a side of tomato bisque is a wonderful, wonderful thing. Nothing wrong with a quick cheap facestuffer, but a carefully planned and immaculately built sandwich is among the finest of meals.

Cheese and bread is already pretty adult

Ugh, feta grilled cheese what is that shit.

Sandwich #14 The Quechee Gorge is my fiancee's favorite sandwich ever:

http://www.woodstockfarmersmarket.com/menus-deli-vegi.aspx

Thread title confusing, burnt my junk in my sandwich toaster.

@chaser324: Whatever cheese one chooses to use it better be made by Tillamook.

This man is correct.

How about mozzarella sticks?

Say what you want about artisanal cheeses and fancy bread, the best grilled cheese will forever be white bread and Kraft singles on a frying pan. If you want to be an adult, eat it with tomato soup. Delicious.

I thought this suggestion was going to be drizzling some whisky on the cheese. Actually I might try that at some point out of curiosity. But no, I can't use Worcestershire sauce like Lea & Perrins because it's made from anchovies & I am a vegetarian. So I guess no "grown-up" grilled cheese for me, alas.

Also, I just found out that Worcestershire sauce is based on the recipe for the ancient Roman fish sauce garum so that's kinda neat.

Also, Kraft Singles are way better than Velveeta, so don't go down that route.

Actual cheese is definitely better though, love me some Colby Jack.

As an adult; I can do whatever the hell I like in the realm of grilled cheese as long as it's legal and doesn't lead to someone's immediate death. That's what being an adult is all about, man.

@forkboy said:

My fiancee is also vegetarian. She had the same problem with anchovies, but found that Annie's makes a vegan option.

What kind of time frame are we talking here?

To echo others in here, there is a wide spectrum of what you can do with putting cheese on bread and toasting it.

For me, I think Babybel cheese melts real nice and goes great with a sweet chilli sauce.

On a side note: I had spaghetti hoops last week for the first time in years and it was alright.

Grilling it w/ a 'HERB' infused butter , or making it a puffer-fish melt, prepared by a certified expert.

I'd say using quality ingredients, especially a good bread. Nothing wrong with some quality bacon, and something like a few drops of a good hot-sauce. The soup idea @hippie_genocide had was a great direction. Nothing has to be expensive. Just last week I had the near worst (3/4 white fat) and also some very good peppered bacon, both products just a few bucks difference.

Keeps the standards of simplicity.

Oh. My. God. Yes.

Y'know, it's oddly cathartic to see the face of my eventual demise.

I say any sort of meat or vegetables in a grilled cheese is cheating. Grilled cheese is bread, cheese, and condiments that so not exceeds the amount of cheese. One you put meat or vegetables it is just a fucking sandwich - grilled or not.

I don't care who says it or what restaurants you have been to that says its serves grilled cheese....if they put meat and veg in it they are just making a sandwich. Cheating cheaters who cheat should never be allowed to make sandwiches but then call them grilled cheese.

I'm guessing this topic is a reference to this menu:

https://twitter.com/jeffgerstmann/status/644947767983341568

Sourdough; pepperjack and american; a meat; seasoning; some garnish to make it look fancy; and a side of steamed veggies

@paulmako: 12 hours. After that, maybe they tripped and fell down and had a heart attack on the way down due to fear of falling, who knows!?

Go the Welsh Rarebit route. Maybe your girlfriend will think you're some kind of culinary genius for making something so foreign.

Using many different cheese on fancy bread is a good start.

Lol that's like making tomato soup without tomatoes.

Hmm I was fairly sure you also couldn't call it Worcestershire Sauce if it's not actually Worcestershire sauce but apparently not. Hmm, maybe it's just a UK trademark.

Also in researching that it turns out the American version has 3 times as much sugar as the normal version. Keep on being American, America. lol.

Why would you ruin the beautiful simplicity of the grilled cheese by complicating it? Bread, Some Cheese, then maybe add some mustard and have a great time.

Stick some cigarettes in it.

This culinary conundrum is more common than you think, friend, yet the solution is surprisingly simple! All you must do is seat your young lady friend so that her back is to your angle of approach from the food preperation area. As you approach to serve your cheesy masterpiece, the moment before lowering the dish to the table, you simply place your free hand nonchalantly -but firmly- somewhere on the region between her lower neck and upper arm, et voilà! Satisfaction guaranteed!

The key thing is to remember not to attempt this maneuver if you have a plate in each hand, as the outcome can be truly distressing for all concerned (plan ahead to avoid this sad scenario). Rest assured however, once mastered, this simple technique can be adapted for virtually any dish or light refreshment you care to name!

@jimbo: This is the longest "touch her shoulder" comment I have read so far.

Well done haha =)

Here:

Shallots, Brie, Not sharp cheddar, Food Processor. Cook that shit up.

Good bread, good cheese, good cup/mug/bowl of tomato soup on the side.

Better be cool weather though.

Those would be used by someone who really WISHES they were a "foodie". The same kids that go wild about "truffle" oil (clearly synthetic) and "kobe" beef burgers that (clearly American wagyu, and a kind of meat that works terribly when ground).

Now gruyere grilled cheese on the other hand...

The problem with making a better grilled cheese sandwich when broke is that mostly the only thing you can do is buy better ingredients.

@sonoferin741:

Something like this : http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/tuna-melts-with-avocado might be a viable option. Cheap ingredients, low cookware requirements, and doesn't take much more knowhow than making grilled cheese if you are worried about the experience factor.

Something like this : http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/ultimate-grilled-cheese-recipe.html is a bit more expensive but a lot of the steps in there can be simplified - for example instead of using a food processor to grate the cheese you could use, I don't know, a grater.

In general throwing some pork product in with the grilled cheese will go a long way. Bacon, prosciutto, etc.

Just some nice cheese and bread though (gruyere and sourdough, a sharp chedder and a nice wheat) with maybe some fig spread on the side and a nice cream of tomato should do you fine.

I make grilled cheese sandwiches on sourdough bread with cheddar cheese and sautéed onions and mushrooms. Make sure you grate that cheese it can be messy as hell but it melts better than slices. Go hard with the butter you can't use too much in my opinion. Getting whatever meat you want in there is great too I like chicken and bacon. Idk if it's really a grilled cheese if it's more than bread butter and cheese but hey whatever.