Selecting a sandwich cheese

by Nicole Weston, Posted Sep 21st 2006 @ 6:59AM

"I want cheddar, but I'll settle for anything yellow."
"How can you eat that on your sandwich? Provolone is the best sandwich cheese."
"I prefer swiss."
"Get some Muenster, too!"
"And I want pepper jack."

This conversation, or one very much like it, plays over and over at family gatherings, barbecues and even during some weekend lunches. Cheese on sandwiches is a contentious issue and no one seems to be able to agree on what best complements their turkey, cold cuts or even tops a hamburger, for that matter. Can you narrow it down to just one type of cheese so you don't spend a fortune for a half-dozen cheeses at the market?

The yellow cheeses, American or otherwise, tend to go into kids sandwiches, where the color is just as important as the flavor. Judging from the selection of cheese that is offered at deli counters, many prefer mild cheeses, like muenster and provolone, which don't distract from the main components of the sandwich. The problem with those cheeses is that sometimes you can't taste the cheese at all. It's harder to match a stronger cheese with sandwich fillings and it can have the opposite effect, overwhelming everything else.

The three cheese groups don't often want to compromise, and after having dealt with a lot of cranky relatives, it seems prudent to spend the extra money at the store and get a cheese everyone likes. Unless you don't mind listening to complaints as you happily munch a sandwich topped with your favorite cheese.

Filed Under: Food Quest, Sandwich Day, Ingredients, How To
Tags: cheddar, cheese, cheeses, dairy, family, Food Quest, muenster, provolone, sandwich, sandwich day, sandwiches, swiss

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

9-21-2006 @7:48AM Chris said... If you're having cheese in a sandwich, it's got to be really mature vintage cheddar, the type that burns the roof of your mouth. The kind you can't get in the supermarket because it's just too strong...

Big thick slices of creamy cheese cut off a square block, cornish butter on a doorstep slices of white, flour covered bloomer loaf. Add to this what you will, be it raspberry jam (try it, you might like it!), or green salad, tomato & Ploughman's Pickle. If you go for the second option, it should be so tall you have doubts whether it'll fit in your mouth!

I've just had lunch, which was a cheese and coleslaw sandwich. The coleslaw was home made and really good, but the cheese just didn't have the bite to really cut through the mayonnaise. I think a trip to a good cheesemongers is in order this weekend...
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