Grilled cheese’s remind me of lazy saturday afternoons. Often, when I was younger, my dad would let me butter the sides while he flipped the sandwiches in the pan. Later, we would eat and laugh at cartoons on the television. I would lick my buttery fingers and pretend not to notice when my dad began to clean. He would take the plates and the pan and scrub them clean while I stared at the television.
Sometimes he would ask me to help but I would only slump deep into the crevice of the couch and frown. He would finish cleaning.
When I grew older and learned to grill sandwiches on my own I would cook more than I needed, just to prove I could. I would butter the bread and place it on the heat, admiring my courage. I would lay slices of cheese along the soft faces of the bread and flip the sandwich carefully. When they were done, if he was around, I’d offer extras to my dad. We would eat and laugh at movies on the television. He would take the plates and the pan and scrub them clean while I stared at the television.
If he wasn’t around, I’d leave them on the counter.
When I grew older still I decided that my dad’s grilled cheese was not the best I’d had. He would offer me a sandwich and turn on a movie while I made faces and pushed away his cooking.
“That’s burnt,” I would tell him. “That’s gross.”
“That’s barely cooked,” or “There’s not enough cheese.”
“I could make a better one,” or “Why do you even bother?”
I would leave and he would continue watching the movie and eating grilled cheeses alone. Then he would take the plates and the pan and scrub them clean.
Now that I’ve grown just a little bit older I know this story is not about grilled cheese. It’s not about a burnt sandwich or the best sandwich. It’s not even really about me. It’s about my dad’s consistent effort to spend time with me despite my self-centredness.
So, thank you, dad.
Also, thank you to Kristyn Howell and her blog post that challenged me to find ways to show my appreciation.
Here’s what I had at Kay’s Delicatessen:
Triple Decker Grilled Cheese: Our twist on a classic. Gouda and cheddar with a hint of roasted garlic puree (vegetarian). $6.00
Impressions: What a tall sandwich. The picture may not do it justice, but this thing is big. Layering the gouda and cheddar separately really emphasized the distinct flavour of each cheese. I know the menu promised only a hint of garlic puree but I could have used more. That being said, I would definitely recommend Kay’s on William Street.
What made it? Sourdough. Every sandwich at Kay’s is available on harvest grain, marble rye, or sourdough bread. Last week’s sandwich was on marble rye so I went with the sourdough. Good choice, Jordan. The three layers of the Triple Decker were thick and soft, with a crispy panini-pressed top and bottom. The bread also absorbed the outside butter of the grilled cheese very well – my fingers stayed (pretty) clean.
Power Goes Out (to eat) 