I'm baaaack!

Where? The Apartment

With? The Cast of Glee

Rating: 8/10

Details: Räßkäse, Bierkäse, with a slice of ham lunchmeat on Vollkorn sliced bread

Count: 23/5000 (I've eaten a few since my last post... but I will just go from where we left off)

Holy Cheese Batman! What a cheese-licious comeback! I used a combination of Räßkäse and Bierkäse, two cheeses I bought because I had no idea what they would taste like. My roommate proceeded to call them my stinky cheeses, because they really really smell, which did wonders for their flavor! I did a layer of one, then the ham in the middle, then a layer of the other cheese on the equivalent of a whole wheat sliced bread. Turned out lovely and ate it while watching the Prom episode of Glee!

My Best Bread Yet

Where? DG

With? Christina and Claire

Rating: 9.5/10

Details: Homemade Country French Bread with Cheddar and Turkey Slices

Count: 22/5000

This is easily one of the best Grilled Cheeses I have made thus far. Everything was incredible! Starting from the outside, the bread, which I made last night, was perfectly crisp on the edges and still light and fluffy on the inside. The Cheddar was the best that I've had here in Vienna, not a huge statement since it is difficult to get Cheddar here of any consequence, but it was very sharp and perfect for Grilled Cheese. I threw in a little of the meat I had, which worked out really well, because Turkey has such a light flavor it complemented the strong Cheddar perfectly!

The bread itself was one of the things that put over the top, and I got the recipe from All Recipes if you are interested in some good bread, it is a bit of a time investment, but if you plan well then you will have incredible homemade baguette in no time! As you may notice, I did one of the loaves in a bread pan, so that I would have sandwich bread, which worked out just fine, I think it just took a little bit longer to bake.

Grilled Cheese Activist

Where? A bench at the Schottentor U-Bahn Station

With? A bunch of protesters

Rating: 6/10

Details: Irish Cheddar and Käsewurst on Anker wheat bread

Count: 21/5000

This is the second time this week, I've made this Grilled Cheese in the morning and packed it up to take with me for lunch. The concept is simply, Irish Cheddar and Käsewurst, which ended up being an amazing combination, since the power of the Irish Cheddar evened out the Käsewurst, so it was a balanced sandwich. Only problem is eating it several hours later definitely affects the quality. Alas, a 6 is the highest rating I could give.

While enjoying my Grilled Cheese on the day I snapped this photo, I was on a bench waiting to meet a friend at Uni Wien. I also snapped the following photo of the protesters, who were voicing their concerns over immigration issues, a hot topic here in Wien, because a family - two young daughters and their father - was deported, while their mother was here in the hospital unable to be deported. Outrage ensued as efforts were made to reunite the family, which eventually did happen. Either way, it was an interesting lunch.

College Kid Meal

Where? Dürergasse

With? Meine Mitbewohnerin

Rating: 7.5/10

Details: Hausgemachtes weisses Brot mit Cheddar Käse und ein Bisschen Parmesan

Count: 19/5000

A real classic Grilled Cheese! The bread was great for Grilled Cheese and crisped up pretty well, but the cheddar wasn't too sharp, so it wasn't as good as it could've been, but with the side of pears, tomatoes and wurst (can you tell I am college student working with what's in her small section of the fridge?) it was pretty good!

Two Grilled Cheese in One Day

Where? Apt 15

With? Der Tisch

Rating: 8/10

Details: That same Gorgonzola-esque cheese, Parmigiano Geggiano, and a little bit of gouda to hold it all together on homemade ciabatta bread

Count: 18/5000

This turned out so well! A great mix of cheeses, with a higher proportion of gouda to the other stronger flavored cheeses, made it super duper awesome. The homemade ciabatta didn't hurt either. I enjoyed my meal with Käsewurst, a cheesy sausage and some grapes.

And then later today...

Rating: 8/10

Details: Gouda and Käsewurst on the last 2 pieces of homemade ciabatta bread

Count: 19/5000

Okay, so the lameness of the gouda plus the awesomeness of the Wurst created a godliness of a Grilled Cheese. If you are going to have Wurst, you might as well have it in Vienna! Wurst, for those of you who don't know, is essentially sausage, but here it is a million times better than in the US! All in all a great day for Grilled Cheese!

First Grilled Cheese in the new Household!

Where: My new Apartment in Vienna!

With: My new roommie Christina!

Rating: 4.5/10

Details: An Austrian cheese, which tastes similar to Gorgonzola, on a simple white bread

Count: 17/5000

I really need to figure out what different types of cheeses are called in german. This gorgonzola-esque cheese was very good, but strong, and the flavor alone on white bread, proved fatal. But the bread was amazing grilled cheese bread! It was the cheapest bread in the store and a basic butter white bread and it was perfect! It crisped amazingly and had a ton of crunch. Unfortunately my first Grilled Cheese in the Apartment was disappointing, but it is only the beginning!

Camp Update

Where: YMCA Camp Timbers, only the best place in the world!

With: A gazillion crazy campers

Rating: 3/10

Details: Sliced cheddar on white

Count: 16/5000 (Don't worry I didn't eat 11 in one sitting, this covers the whole summer of 2010)

Although I am currently in the Austrian Alps, eating schnitzel and dumplings, I had a conversation today with another student about Grilled Cheese - they weren't particularly fond of the schnitzel. As we discussed one of the finest things in life and the upcoming Grilled Cheese Parties we will be having, I remembered that I had yet to post about my Grilled Cheese experience at the incredible YMCA Camp Timbers. I must preface my review with the simple statement that almost all of the food at camp is delicious (cue "dun dun dun" music in your head). Unfortunately, the Grilled Cheese is subpar in my mind. The biggest problem isn't really the Grilled Cheese itself, which right off the grill, is actually quite good. It is the time which it takes to make 150+ Grilled Cheese and then serve them to all of the campers and camp staff. It just looses it's crunch.

In spite of the less than quality Grilled Cheese, it is still my favorite lunch meal! There is even at Grilled Cheese song at camp, which I believe is the only way to really begin a Grilled Cheese meal at camp and it goes a little something like...

Clap 8 times! (Short Long Short Long Short Long Short Long)

GRILLED CHEESE!

Clap 8 times! (Short Long Short Long Short Long Short Long)

GRILLED CHEESE!

Clap 8 times! (Short Long Short Long Short Long Short Long)

GRILLED CHEESE!

AHHH GRILLED CHEESE!!! (Loud cheers and chants)