w00t!
Today my beautiful new "DeLonghi Retro" panini press arrived. It was a little more expensive than my budget, but it had an adjustable temperature control, which I really wanted. It would be a major bummer to shell out for a press that didn't cook hot enough to melt things properly... or was overly hot and burned the bread. Ensuring toasting perfection was worth the extra money...
My first sandwich? DEATH BY CHEESE!! It's my take on the "Ultimate Grilled Cheese" sold at Kathy Casey's "Dish D'Lish" restaurant at the SeaTac airport. To make it, you need country white bread (not too fresh... leave it out for a few hours), cheddar cheese, provolone cheese, and spreadable herb cream cheese, assembled as follows...
Once it's all put together, I microwave it for 10 seconds to get the cheese in a more meltable state. After that, you just slap it on a panini press at medium temperature and wait until you hear the cheese running out and sizzling on the grill... wait another 20 seconds or so to make sure everything is thoroughly melted, and you're done! The cheese needs to be the consistency of molten lava. If it's not oozing out of the sandwich and scalding your hands, you've made it all wrong and will have to start over...
Now that I have my own panini press, I can experiment with ways to add more cheese to the sandwich. It's a difficult proposition, because too much cheese will cause the bread to start sliding around, making it impossible to eat without a spoon. I'm thinking the answer might lay in adding a third slice of bread, but worry it might slip out if not handled properly.
Ah well... I can dream, can't I?
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A third piece of bread? Sort of like a ‘Big Mac’ cheese sandwich? I could go for that.
A fancy George Foreman grill!
OMG. I think I MUST have one. The cheese post did me in. I’m serious.
Hello, ebay?
Lose the white bread – bring on the whole wheat or rye, and I’m in!
No butter on the bread… or are you watching your waistline? 😉
Oh man…I love pananis…I might have to get one!
I am curious about the aftermath of this sandwich!
I sense a distinct lack of butter there
If you learn how to make a turkey artichoke panini then I’m all over that press but I can make my (OMG I can’t believe I’m going to say this) George Foreman Grill do the same thing…just about.
Hey, it’s the ghetto version of a panini press.
I might make that death by cheese though. Screw my healthy spinach salad today.
Just take a string and tie it around the sandwich before putting it on the press.
So will you be bringing this little device o’ delight to future blogger meet ups and treating us all to Death by Cheese?
NO BODY PARTS ALLOWED….I’m sure that the warning labels say that…I just know that they do.
good God, that sounds like heaven. Three slice bread with 6 cheeses…. *gurgle*
I have an overwhelming urge to take a fiber capsule after reading this.
The way in which I keep my cheese in place and add more deliciousness is by spreading miracle whip on either side of the inside of the bread. That’s what I would recomend.
Could you maybe take a pita pocket and stuff it with cheese, then grill it? That way, it won’t ooze out, and you can have a gigantic pouch full of melted cheese!
Ever consider fondue?
That sure does look cheesy-licious! Hrmmm, I wonder if you could make a Mediterranean veggie panini next? Damn, that sounds really good right now at 8am!
I’m with Kilax and Miss Britt. I’ve got stomach cramps just looking at it! (but don’t get me wrong, it still looks delicious…)
I was actually eating cheese as I read this…interactive, saaaweeet! I would be putting anything and everything in that baby…experiment city. Have fun!
Yum! I’m always tempted by the sandwich presses when I see them in flyers/catalogs.
I might try variations of Jenny’s pita pouch o’ cheese idea using different kinds of loaves. That way you could cut a large slice and put a slit or hollowed out part for cheese in it. Or something like a very short bread bowl.
Or… try something like toothpicks but that’s edible to hold your bread together. Pretzel sticks maybe? If you broke them into small enough pieces, they might not get crushed in the press.
Is there no end to the cheese fascination? I’d be tempted to put a little red onion in there. Or ooo some oregano!
If you were wearing a classic Bad Monkey T, the dripping cheese would hardly show up…
Cheese is my all time favorite food. That sandwich looks divine!
Since you’re a fellow cheese lover, you might enjoy this sandwich. I have to say it’s one of the best I’ve ever had – The Pioneer Woman’s Favorite Sandwich
These presses are awesome, especially with some sourdough bread and Jarlsberg cheese. (pronounced YARLZBERG)
OMG! Yesterday was my birthday and guess what I received as a present? My best friend got me a panini press! I never thought about buying one for myself, but now that I have a yummy recipe, I’m gonna have to break that baby out of the box!
Oh man, I never wanted to get over my deathly allergy to cheese so bad in all my life! That looks SO GOOD!
Man, that sounds scrumptious. Gotta get me one of those.