Cheese and bread have been put together for as long as mankind knew how to make the two items. It was just common knowledge. Even the Romans suggested cheese and bread together. However, cooking the two is where the magic really happens. Nobody knows exactly when the grilled cheese was first made but the magical treat became popular in the 1920’s. However In 1916 James L. Kraft developed a process patented to pasteurize cheese so it wouldn’t spoil during transport and be shipped long distances. A few years later, in the 1920’s in Missouri, Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented the automatic bread slicer that could produce even slices. And that is what really set the grilled cheese on fire!
Many historical events contain the grilled cheese. During the great depression grilled cheese became a big staple in many American diets. The lovely cuisine was filling and was rather inexpensive for poor Americans. Even during World War II the grilled cheese was a fan favorite among the Allied Armed Forces. It wasn’t long before schools and housewives had started making this delicious substance for their kids and husbands.
This delicious sandwich has been prepared many ways throughout history. At one point it only contained one piece of bread! Early recipes use an oven, others use pans, waffle irons and more! There are many ways to make grilled cheese. Some adventurous fellows even add other toppings other than cheese to the mix! The French make croque monsieur, a hot sandwich with cheese and ham. In today's world grilled cheese is made with many add ons such as bacon, pesto, pulled pork, pepperoni, many vegetables and even some fruit!
There are even many national days about the grilled cheese sandwich here in America. The whole month of April, oh sweet April, is national grilled cheese sandwich month! How splendid! Also in April is national grilled cheese sandwich day on April 12th. And coincidentally September 3rd is also national grilled cheese day. No worries if you missed them this year, they will always be around to celebrate grilled cheese! And grilled cheese should be celebrated on days that aren’t devoted to it too! There’s always time for a delectable grilled cheese sandwich.
In addition, some strange facts surround the grilled cheese. In 2004, there was a half eaten grilled cheese sandwich that had the virgin mary burned into it coincidentally made by a woman in Hollywood, Florida. She was interviewed by many people before a Las Vegas casino paid a whopping 28,000 for the cheesy delight on ebay. In 2007, an American competitive eater named Joey Chestnut set a new world record in Las Vegas, he chowed down on 47 grilled cheeses in a matter of 10 minutes. Seems like Las Vegas is really the place to be for grilled cheese! Wives’ tales state that cheese before bedtime produces vivid dreams and even nightmares. There was even research done called the British Cheese Board. They found that 75% of 200 participants actually had pleasant dreams rather than nightmares. One interesting finding from the study was that the type of cheese actually affected the type of dream they had!
Long story short, the grilled cheese is a wonderful meal with an even more delicious history to it! From wives tales to the borders of France, there is something for everyone to enjoy in this cheesy sandwich, and everyone should look forward to next year's grilled cheese days and months!
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