5 ms·

I would love to hear your thoughts on the infamous melt versus grilled cheese debate.

andrewla 8y ago
Using my rule of thumb above: if I asked the waiter for a grilled cheese, but I didn't care what kind, I expect the waiter would be somewhat perplexed by this, since "grilled cheese" is a sufficient descriptor that there's basically one sandwich that satisfies the description. If I asked for a melt but didn't care what kind, then I feel like the possibilities expand, and would include a regular grilled cheese.
- dragonwriter 8y ago
  > Using my rule of thumb above: if I asked the waiter for a grilled cheese, but I didn't care what kind, I expect the waiter would be somewhat perplexed by this, since "grilled cheese" is a sufficient descriptor that there's basically one sandwich that satisfies the description. Even if you take grilled cheese narrowly enough that it must have nothing but cheese between the bread, there are a fairly wide array of potential breads and potential cheeses and combinations of cheeses that there is definitely more than one sandwich that fits the description, even before considering that, in use, “grilled cheese” allows for additional ingredients.
  - andrewla 8y ago
    True, there's a wide space of breads and cheeses, but I can walk into a restaurant and order a grilled cheese and with no follow-up questions be served the restaurant's version a grilled cheese. The same could not be said of ordering a "sandwich"; the waiter would certainly demand clarification before accepting the order. The conversation could go like this, "I'll have a grilled cheese" -- "What kind of cheese?" -- "surprise me" -- "What kind of bread?" -- "surprise me" -- "Do you want tomato or bacon or any other meats?". At this point I'd have to stop and figure out which way I wanted to go. But that's reasonable because these are non-default options; if I asked for a surprise sandwich and the waiter asked me "is open-faced okay" or "is ice cream sandwich okay" or "is a wrap okay" then I'd totally accept that as a clarification, but without that clarification none of those would be acceptable.
  - colanderman 8y ago
    As someone who regularly eats "grilled cheese with stuff on it" (bell pepper slices are awesome), the distinction hinges on whether the cheese holds the sandwich together. If the halves can be easily separated, it's not grilled cheese.
    - bitxbitxbitcoin 8y ago
      Interesting - a functionality test!
    - pdpi 8y ago
      The Portuguese standard here is a grilled cheese and ham toastie. Just cheese is less common but popular-ish, heathens (e.g. me) might ask for just ham.
- sammorrowdrums 8y ago
  You mean "cheese on toast"? (UK)
  - abritinthebay 8y ago
    Main difference is that a "grilled cheese" is two slices with cheese in between (usually). Cheese on Toast is, by its very name, where the cheese is on the toast. An open-faced grilled cheese if you will.
  - Reason077 8y ago
    Cheese on toast (UK) only consists of one slice of bread/toast. It is not a sandwich. In the UK it is known as "grilled cheese sandwich" or perhaps "toasted cheese sandwich".
  - lozf 8y ago
    See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_rarebit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_rarebit
radicalbyte 8y ago
Grilled cheese would be, I assume, Halloumi. Melted cheese is pretty much any other cheese (Cheddar, Edam, Stilten, Gouda, Brie, etc)? EDIT: TFA is talking about a grilled-cheese sandwich; i.e. a toasted cheese sandwich.

Using my rule of thumb above: if I asked the waiter for a grilled cheese, but I didn't care what kind, I expect the waiter would be somewhat perplexed by this, since "grilled cheese" is a sufficient descriptor that there's basically one sandwich that satisfies the description. If I asked for a melt but didn't care what kind, then I feel like the possibilities expand, and would include a regular grilled cheese.

dragonwriter 8y ago
> Using my rule of thumb above: if I asked the waiter for a grilled cheese, but I didn't care what kind, I expect the waiter would be somewhat perplexed by this, since "grilled cheese" is a sufficient descriptor that there's basically one sandwich that satisfies the description. Even if you take grilled cheese narrowly enough that it must have nothing but cheese between the bread, there are a fairly wide array of potential breads and potential cheeses and combinations of cheeses that there is definitely more than one sandwich that fits the description, even before considering that, in use, “grilled cheese” allows for additional ingredients.
- andrewla 8y ago
  True, there's a wide space of breads and cheeses, but I can walk into a restaurant and order a grilled cheese and with no follow-up questions be served the restaurant's version a grilled cheese. The same could not be said of ordering a "sandwich"; the waiter would certainly demand clarification before accepting the order. The conversation could go like this, "I'll have a grilled cheese" -- "What kind of cheese?" -- "surprise me" -- "What kind of bread?" -- "surprise me" -- "Do you want tomato or bacon or any other meats?". At this point I'd have to stop and figure out which way I wanted to go. But that's reasonable because these are non-default options; if I asked for a surprise sandwich and the waiter asked me "is open-faced okay" or "is ice cream sandwich okay" or "is a wrap okay" then I'd totally accept that as a clarification, but without that clarification none of those would be acceptable.
- colanderman 8y ago
  As someone who regularly eats "grilled cheese with stuff on it" (bell pepper slices are awesome), the distinction hinges on whether the cheese holds the sandwich together. If the halves can be easily separated, it's not grilled cheese.
  - bitxbitxbitcoin 8y ago
    Interesting - a functionality test!
  - pdpi 8y ago
    The Portuguese standard here is a grilled cheese and ham toastie. Just cheese is less common but popular-ish, heathens (e.g. me) might ask for just ham.
sammorrowdrums 8y ago
You mean "cheese on toast"? (UK)
- abritinthebay 8y ago
  Main difference is that a "grilled cheese" is two slices with cheese in between (usually). Cheese on Toast is, by its very name, where the cheese is on the toast. An open-faced grilled cheese if you will.
- Reason077 8y ago
  Cheese on toast (UK) only consists of one slice of bread/toast. It is not a sandwich. In the UK it is known as "grilled cheese sandwich" or perhaps "toasted cheese sandwich".
- lozf 8y ago
  See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_rarebit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_rarebit

radicalbyte 8y ago

Grilled cheese would be, I assume, Halloumi. Melted cheese is pretty much any other cheese (Cheddar, Edam, Stilten, Gouda, Brie, etc)? EDIT: TFA is talking about a grilled-cheese sandwich; i.e. a toasted cheese sandwich.