Grilled Cheese Sandwich

The pan is too hot. This cooks over medium heat precisely so the bread browns at roughly the rate the cheese softens, and on a high flame the outside colours in a minute while the middle is still cold. If it is already browning too fast, lift the pan off the heat for a moment and turn it down before carrying on.

Anything that melts smoothly works, so American, Gruyere, Monterey Jack or mozzarella are all fine here. Keep it to one slice per sandwich as written, because a thicker pile will still be cold by the time the bread has finished browning.

Yes, spread it on the outside of the bread exactly where the butter goes. It spreads straight from the fridge without tearing the slice and browns very evenly, though the flavour is milder than the butter this recipe uses.

The first side should be lightly browned before you flip it, and the sandwich is ready once the cheese has melted through. That is roughly a couple of minutes a side over medium heat. If the bread is coloured but the cheese is still firm, cover the pan for a minute rather than raising the heat.

Yes. Cast iron or a heavy stainless pan both work, provided you butter the bread generously as the method says and let the pan reach medium heat before the sandwich goes in. Bread put into a cold or dry pan is what sticks.

Tomato soup is the classic pairing and the one this is written to go with. A sharp pickle or a plain green salad also work well, since both cut through the butter and melted cheese.