Ooey, Gooey, Crispy, Crunchy...

Grilled Cheese!!!

This was last night's dinner.  Our family has decided we like cheese.

I realize, this doesn't seem like Earth-shaking news, and perhaps it is not.  And we've always enjoyed the ooey, gooey goodness that cheese can be.

But our definition of what is really "cheese" has evolved.  Or, rather, we've become more picky about what we expect from our cheese-eating experience.

This started when we began making fondue a couple of years ago.  It was like traveling in a time machine, back to a time when a pot of melted cheese & wine could unite friends and family like no Youtube video-fest ever could. (Yes, our family has considered it an evening event to gather around the computer and watch ridiculous Youtube videos.  Really.)

And, we discovered the difference between generic "cheddar" and "mozzarella" by investing in some higher quality versions of these cheeses, and others.  Our first cheese adventures began at Jungle Jim's - and our standard was definitely raised.  We enjoyed Gruyere and English Cheddar, among others, and our cheese horizons had definitely been expanded.

But then, we found the Nirvana of cheese shops - Grandpa's Cheese Barn.  We had driven right by it for 14 years on our way home to my hometown - but for some reason, one day, we stopped.

And the world has not been the same since.  Our favorite has spoiled us rotten - no Smoked Gouda since has served to quench our appetite for this delightful, rich, full-bodied cheese.  And, as you can see from the above link - you can purchase it online!

But, since we are not made of money, we haven't indulged in this opportunity yet.  What we have done, however, is sought out locally what cheeses we can get that aren't just the standard "Kraft-Block-o'-Cheese".  And, we've found that surprisingly enough, a decent quality and selection of cheese can be found at the local Wal-mart and IGA.  Our current favorite is Havarti - and this is what is on the sandwich you see above, as well as some Fontina that we bought at Jungle Jim's at Christmas.  No, the Wal-mart cheese is not Grandpa's Cheese Barn quality, but it's not Velveeta either.

...not that there's anything wrong with Velveeta, actually.  Melted and mixed with salsa, it makes a wonderful queso dip!

So - a toast to all things cheesy, and their ooey, gooey, funky, stringy, rich and righteous ways.  There's just nothing quite as comforting as a big ol' grilled cheese sandwich...

...unless it's homemade Macaroni and Cheese...but that's another blog post...