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By Erin Weaver
We’re a little early for National Grilled Cheese Month (which is in April for those of you who don’t have your calendars marked accordingly, you heathens), but if there’s anything we crave during Oregon’s rainy, freezing winters, it’s some good ol’ fashioned carbs and cheese. The grilled cheese is arguably one of America’s finest and most beloved staples, and though the average college student can throw one together for less than three dollars, there are several establishments around Eugene that have taken the sandwich to elevated, sexier heights. To help soften the bite of Eugene’s cold winters (get it? Bite?), we’ve compiled a list of some of the city’s most unique grilled cheeses.
The Inventive Rebel
Sammitch Food Truck
CheezyMMMitch
This is by far one of the cheesiest sandwiches this city of ours has to offer. Layered with feta, dill havarti, cheddar, provolone, mozzarella and brie (that’s a whopping six cheese varieties for those who weren’t counting), Sammitch’s CheezyMMMitch also packs in strips of bacon and tomato that lend some serious flavor and saltiness to this already-explosive sandwich.
Located at: For the truck’s current location, check www.sammitchtime.com!
The Lovable Mama’s Boy
The Sol Café
Grilled Cheese
Just like your mother used to make it, The Sol Café’s grilled cheese features slices of American cheddar cheese on buttery sourdough bread. Once assembled, the sandwich is lovingly pressed, which creates picturesque — and deliciously crunchy — grill marks across the sourdough. In the spirit of inclusivity, this sandwich can also be made gluten free!
Located at: 1475 Franklin Blvd, Eugene, OR 97403
The Artsy Artisan
The Glenwood
The Grilled Cheese
Served on thick, crusty slices of the bread of your choice, this grilled cheese is a buttery delight brimming with either cheddar or swiss cheeses that ooze out onto the plate. Paired with a pickle so you can finish the meal off with a refreshing crunch, the Glenwood’s grilled cheese is as hearty as it is delicious. Couple it with robust and flavorful tomato soup for the ultimate comfort food experience.
Located at: 1340 Alder St, Eugene, OR 97401 (campus) & 588 Willamette St, Eugene, OR 97405 (South Eugene)
The All-American Classic
Cornucopia
Gracie’s Grown Up Grilled Cheese
With a blend of American and cheddar cheeses, Gracie’s Grown Up Grilled Cheese is a local favorite, and it’s easy to see why: the buttered bread is wonderfully toasted, the sandwich has a perfect cheese-to-crust ratio, and it’s served with a classic side of Cornucopia’s famous fries. Salty but not-too-salty, buttery but not-too-buttery, Cornucopia’s grilled cheese is the perfect combination of fatty and delicious, and is the ideal comfort food to dig into during one of Eugene’s rainy days.
Located at: 207 E 5th Ave & 295 W 17th Ave, Eugene, OR 97401
RECIPE
For those of you who want to enjoy a great grilled cheese without stepping out of the comfort of your own home, this scrumptious piece of heaven is a classic go-to when looking for serious flavor in your very own kitchen. Pair it with that accounting homework or term paper to bring some indulgence to your study life.
1 red onion, halved and sliced into strips
2 tablespoons of butter
6-9 slices sharp cheddar cheese
1 orange-fleshed sweet potato, sliced into disks
2 tablespoons of olive oil
4-6 slices of bread of choice
1 teaspoon of rosemary
Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Toss the sweet potato disks in olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper and arrange on baking sheet. Bake for approximately 20 minutes (or until sweet potato is tender and punctures easily with a fork). Set aside.
- While sweet potato is cooking, place butter in small saucepan and simmer over low heat, swirling the saucepan until butter is browned (approximately 5 minutes) be careful not to burn the butter to the bottom of the saucepan.
- Remove butter and set aside. In same saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Place onions in oil and caramelize by stirring occasionally until the onions change color (this can take anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes depending on the degree of heat). Adding a pinch of sugar after 5 minutes will help speed this process.
- Set onions aside. Heat skillet over medium heat. Spoon the browned butter over one side of each slice of bread, and place the bread in the skillet butter-side-down. To make the grilled cheese, layer onions, cooked sweet potatoes and sharp cheddar cheese between the bread slices. Grill the sandwiches for 2 minutes on each side, or until the bread is sufficiently browned.
Enjoy!
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