Kamil Perry
Grilled cheese sandwiches are a popular dish in many countries, with variations in preparation methods and ingredients. In the United States, the classic grilled cheese sandwich is a beloved comfort food, often made in a frying pan with buttered bread and melted cheese. However, other countries have their own unique takes on this dish. For example, in Australia, grilled cheese sandwiches are known as jaffles, while in Mexico, the equivalent is a quesadilla, made with a folded flour tortilla and filled with cheese, chicken, peppers, or beans. In France, the Croque Monsieur, a ham and cheese sandwich topped with béchamel sauce, is a popular café offering. Each country adds its own twist to the grilled cheese, incorporating local ingredients and culinary traditions.
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What You'll Learn
Grilled cheese in Europe
Grilled cheese sandwiches are a popular food in the United States, but how common are they in Europe?
In Europe, grilled cheese sandwiches are often made in a sandwich maker or oven, rather than in a frying pan. These sandwiches are sometimes called "toasties" or "tostis". In the Netherlands, a grilled cheese sandwich is called a "tosti", and it usually includes ham in addition to cheese. A "vegetarian tosti" is a simple grilled cheese sandwich without ham. In Poland, people also tend to add ingredients to their grilled cheese sandwiches, such as ham, pineapple, or an egg and milk mixture. In Lithuania, grilled cheese sandwiches are less common, as one Lithuanian commenter on Reddit claimed they "suck at cooking" and were making a grilled cheese sandwich for the first time.
In the United Kingdom, a similar dish to the grilled cheese sandwich is the Welsh rarebit, which uses only one slice of bread and a cheese sauce made with beer and mustard. The English version of the grilled cheese sandwich is called a "toastie". In France, the equivalent of the grilled cheese sandwich is the "croque monsieur", which includes ham and Gruyère cheese, and is often topped with more cheese and béchamel sauce. A "croque madame" is the same but with a fried egg on top.
In Italy, it is common to find grilled cheese sandwiches at roadside Autogrill stops, and in Venezuela, an "arepa de queso" is a type of grilled cheese sandwich made with corn bread and shredded cheese.
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Mexican quesadillas
To make Mexican quesadillas, start by heating a large skillet on medium-high heat and adding a small amount of oil or butter. Place a large flour tortilla in the pan and flip it over a few times until air pockets begin to form. Sprinkle grated cheese over the tortilla, taking care that it doesn't land on the pan. Add your desired fillings, but be careful not to layer them too thickly, as they may not heat through properly. Once you've added your fillings, sprinkle on more cheese to act as a glue and fold the tortilla in half. Cover the pan to help melt the cheese faster and prevent the tortilla from browning too quickly.
When the cheese is sufficiently melted, use a spatula to lift one side of the quesadilla and flip it over. The tortilla should be slightly browned. If not, increase the heat and flip the quesadilla every 10 seconds until it reaches the desired level of brownness. Serve the quesadillas hot and crispy with a dipping sauce such as sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa, or avocado sauce.
Quesadillas can also be made with corn tortillas, which are more traditional in Mexico, and a melty, white cheese. They can be customized to individual tastes and are a versatile dish that can be enjoyed by both vegetarians and meat lovers.
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Welsh rarebit
Grilled cheese sandwiches are popular in many countries, including the US, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Mexico, Venezuela, and Australia. In France, a grilled cheese sandwich is called a croque monsieur and is made with ham and Gruyere cheese, topped with more cheese and often béchamel sauce. In the Netherlands, it is called a tosti and is usually filled with cheese and ham, while a vegetarian version without the ham is also available. In Mexico, a folded flour tortilla replaces the bread in a quesadilla, which is filled with cheese, chicken, peppers, and beans. In the UK, a popular variation of the grilled cheese sandwich is the Welsh rarebit.
A traditional Welsh rarebit consists of a savoury melted cheese sauce made with grated sharp cheddar cheese, stout, beer or ale, butter, Worcestershire sauce, and English mustard spread on toast and grilled. Some people also add chopped onions to the sauce and serve it with bacon and sliced tomato. The sauce is usually spread on only one piece of toast to cut down on carbohydrates. The beer or ale can be substituted with milk or pressed apple juice, and other types of cheese such as Lancashire, Cheshire, Double Gloucester, Caerphilly, or Hafod can be used instead of cheddar.
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Australian jaffles
Grilled cheese sandwiches are a popular food in many countries, with some variations depending on the region. For example, in the Netherlands, they are called "tosti's" and are usually filled with cheese and ham; in Mexico, the grilled cheese sandwich is replaced by a quesadilla, and in France, the croque monsieur is a grilled ham and cheese sandwich.
In Australia, the grilled cheese sandwich takes on a unique form known as the "jaffle". Jaffles are made in a jaffle maker, an electric cooking appliance similar to a waffle iron. The process involves buttering or spreading mayo on the outside of two pieces of bread, filling them with various ingredients, and then loading them into the jaffle maker. The result is a golden and crispy exterior with a warm and tender interior, perfectly contained in a handheld pouch.
The jaffle was popularized and patented by Bondi-based doctor Ernest Smithers in 1949. His original version, known as a pie iron in the US, consisted of a metal contraption with long handles for holding over a flame or barbecue. In 1974, the Sydney-based brand Breville released the first electric jaffle maker, the Snack 'n' Sandwich Toaster, which quickly gained popularity with 10% of Australian households owning one within its first year.
Jaffles can be filled with a variety of ingredients, including baked beans, Vegemite, ham, pineapple or banana, leftover Bolognese, tinned spaghetti and mozzarella, rotisserie chicken with avocado and Swiss cheese, or even sweet combinations like banana and Nutella. One of the most iconic jaffle fillings is spaghetti, earning it the nickname "Spaghetti Jaffle".
The name "jaffle" is thought to be loosely connected to the word "waffle" due to the similar cooking methods of pressing the sandwiches between two heated surfaces. However, the jaffle's sealed crusts and triangular shape set it apart from the classic American grilled cheese sandwich, making it a unique Australian creation.
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Cuban sandwiches
The Cuban sandwich, or "Cubano", is a variation of a ham and cheese sandwich that likely originated in cafes catering to Cuban workers in the mid-19th century. The sandwich is said to have been invented in Cuba but was popularised in Florida, particularly in the cities of Tampa and Key West, due to the constant travel between the two regions. The cigar industry in Florida shifted to Tampa in the mid-1880s, and the city saw an influx of Cuban, Spanish, and Italian workers, which may have influenced the development of the Cuban sandwich.
The Cuban sandwich is made with a mix of sliced ham, slow-roasted or citrus-marinated pork, Swiss cheese, dill pickles, mustard, and sometimes salami on Cuban bread. The bread is slathered with butter and pressed to create a golden crust and a melted cheese filling. The sandwich can be toasted in a sandwich press, or plancha, which heats and compresses the sandwich, creating a crispy exterior and warm interior.
There is a long-running rivalry between Tampa and Miami regarding the best Cuban sandwich, with Tampa claiming it as their signature sandwich in 2012. The main disagreement between the two cities' recipes involves the inclusion of salami, with Tampa's version including Genoa salami due to Italian immigrant influence, while South Florida's version typically does not include it.
The Cuban sandwich has become a beloved staple, with its combination of traditional flavours and pressed, crispy texture. It is a testament to the cultural exchange between Cuba and Florida, and its popularity has spread beyond its origins, with variations appearing in different regions.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, grilled cheese sandwiches are popular in many countries, though they may be known by different names and made with different ingredients or cooking methods.
Here are some examples:
- The French make a variation called the croque monsieur, which is a ham and Gruyere cheese sandwich topped with more cheese and often béchamel sauce.
- In Australia, grilled cheese sandwiches are known as "jaffles" and are made with jaffle irons, which create a sealed sandwich perfect for holding melted cheese and other fillings.
- A quesadilla is Mexico's version of a grilled cheese sandwich, made with a folded flour tortilla instead of bread and filled with cheese and other ingredients like chicken, peppers, and beans.
Some unique variations include:
- Welsh Rarebit, a British variation that uses only one piece of bread with a cheese sauce spread over it, usually made with beer and mustard.
- Cubansandwiches, made with ham, Swiss cheese, mustard, and pickles pressed between two slices of baguette bread.
- Roti johns, a popular omelet sandwich in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, made with eggs, minced meat, onions, and cheese spread onto a griddle, with an open-faced baguette placed on top and toasted.
