I may have a problem. As the leaves start to change color, the trees exploding with deep yellow and orange hues, I can think only of one thing: cheese. More specifically, grilled-cheese sandwiches. My mom used to make them with Velveeta, and I could hardly wait to be old enough to hold the cast-iron sandwich-maker over the gas burner on my own.
Options for grilled-cheese sandwiches are endless: sourdough or white bread? Cheddar or Muenster? Fancy or simple? These are two of my favorites—one for when you’re feeling like cheese alone isn’t enough, another for pure throwback appeal. Whichever route you choose, the crunch of the bread and the lava-like cheeses will instantly bring you back to the first day of school.
Three Squares Restaurant
12690 Arbor Lakes Parkway, Maple Grove,
763-425-3330, 3squaresrestaurant.com
(also available at Groveland Tap and the Edina, Longfellow, and Highland Grills)
The Blue Plate Restaurant Group stuffs this sandwich with generous melted hunks of cheddar—white from Vermont and yellow Tillamook, Oregon—fused together with a thin layer of sweet tomato chutney. But its secret weapon is the Parmesan-crusted sourdough bread, which lends a pleasant browned flavor to each crispy, gooey, delicious bite.
Annie’s Parlour
313 14th Ave. SE, Mpls., 612-379-0744
There’s nothing fancy about the basic grilled cheese at Annie’s Parlour (the “deluxe” version comes with tomato and bacon), but it’s become a classic for a reason. The longtime Dinkytown hangout has been grilling burgers since the 1970s, so the triple-decker sandwich, rich with Muenster, American, and sharp cheddar cheeses, picks up an additional (and delicious) meaty flavor from the well-seasoned flattop grill.
Jason Derusha is a reporter for WCCO-TV.
