08/31/2009

An Upgraded Grilled Cheese

Before I describe this grilled cheese, I thought I would tell all of you about a new goal I have. Ever since I started this blog, I have wanted to become the end all, be all expert when it comes to grilled cheese. I am still on the right track, I just realized that I needed to focus a little more. I need to become an expert on cheese prior to becoming a grilled cheese expert. Therefore, I have done something that has shocked everyone that knows me: I have bought and begun reading a book. (I don’t read books, trust me. This is new for me!) Last Thursday night, I traveled to Barnes & Noble and picked up two books, one dedicated to grilled cheese sandwiches and one dedicated only to cheese, both by Laura Werlin. Although I have only begun reading, Cheese Essentials has is quickly teaching me all about cheese. I am well on my way to becoming a cheese expert, as long as I stick to it. And there is my new goal: stick to learning about cheese. As long as I stay on the right path, I will not only become a cheese expert, yet I will soon become a grilled cheese expert as well. If you know of any other great cheese books, please let me know in the comments. Now onto the yogurt cultured cheese…

ingredients:

Garden Vegetable Yogurt Cultured Semisoft Part-Skim Cheese
Tomatoes
7-Grain Bread

the cheese: garden vegetable yogurt cultured semisoft part-skim

I again shopped at a new grocer for my ingredients. This time I stopped by Mustard Seed Market & Cafe, the areas largest locally owned natural and organic foods market, which just happens to be in my hometown. Since I wasn’t planning to create any grilled cheese, I had just returned from an out of town wedding and my folks were supposed to go out to dinner, I decided to go simple, with a slight twist. Normally I refuse to purchase a cheese that has any extra ingredients in it. Why? I don’t know. However, since the only other ingredient in this grilled cheese was going to be tomatoes, I decided to live on the edge and allow some extra ingredients in my cheese. For this grilled cheese, I went with “garden vegetables,” which turned out to be a great idea.

If you haven’t noticed, as I have mentioned it twice, this cheese has yogurt cultures in it, which I have never seen before, but is popular in this brand of cheese.

Back in 1971, our Dad, Peter Dauwalder began to experiment with the idea of creating a new variety of cheese by introducing live Yogurt Culture into the cheese making process at HEINI’S CHEESE CHALET. Realizing the positive benefits of yogurt on the body’s digestive system, Pete knew that, if his idea worked this new variety of cheese could provide both flavor and the nutritional benefits of yogurt for HEINI’S customers.

Today there are few actual cheese producers in Ohio’s Amish Country, but back then, local competition was fierce. Peter was looking for a way to insure that his family business would continue to grow and prosper. As a result of his efforts, HEINI’S YOGURT CULTURED CHEESE was born and WOW was it ever a difference maker!

HEINI’S YOGURT CULTURED ® CHEESE has grown from being one of our Dad’s dreams to becoming a Natural Cheese enjoyed throughout our country because it offers a mild creamy texture, creative variety of flavors, and the benefits of digesting live, Yogurt Culture. (Heini’s Yogurt Cultured Cheese)

At some point, I should mention my thoughts on how the cheese tasted, but honestly, I am not sure what it tasted like. Yes, I tasted it last night, but I could not even tell then! It was different, good different, but still different. I wonder if the yogurt culture had a strong affect on how the cheese tasted, or if I am not truly able to taste the yogurt cultures. If you happen to know, please let me know in the comments. Thanks.

The bread holding together this grilled cheese was a 7-grain bread that turned out to be fantastic. I had thought that I was not a fan of dark breads such as this one, but I was extremely wrong. We cooked this one until it got crunchy, with soft and smooth insides and I was in heaven. I am all for different textures, especially in this type of grilled cheese, and the crunch was perfect.

The only other ingredient was the tomato, which is classic on a grilled cheese. Instead of trying to put my own twist on this ingredient, I went straight ahead with the classic and simply sliced the tomatoes and placed them in the grilled cheese. It is a classic for a reason. The only thing I did slightly different was that I placed cheese on the bread, then the tomatoes and then more cheese. I mean, this is a grilled cheese after all, right?

the grilled cheese:

an upgraded grilled cheese: A

Especially since I wasn’t planning on creating or cooking a grilled cheese this past weekend, I am very happy with how the sandwich turned out. I took a classic, changing it only slightly, and wound up with a great sandwich. The bread was crunchy and flavorful. The cheese was soft and had great vegetable flavors. The tomatoes added to the soft texture and enhanced an already great grilled cheese. I would say all and all, it was a winner, even with the tomato soup on the side.