Tom Steinert-Threlkeld, Grilled Cheese Lover

Steve and I cook The Weston Grilled Cheese for hungry cyclists. (Tom Steinert-Threlkeld far right)

While writing a story about Tom Steinert-Threlkeld (following his tragic death where he was the victim of a hit and run car accident), I took a look at his Facebook page.

We weren’t FB friends, but the page is open to the public. He was an avid photographer, and the page is full of photos of things he encountered on family trips and his many cycling journeys.

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Grilled Cheese To Please: The Weston

The Weston Grilled Cheese in all its glory.

Had a wonderful time last Saturday at the Farmers Market at Norfield Grange in Weston, Connecticut. I held a Grilled Cheese cooking demo, so it was a good time to introduce my newest Grilled Cheese creation — The Weston, named in honor of the town I cover for The Weston Forum newspaper. The demo was a great way for me to take off my news hat, put on a chef’s hat, and interact with Westonites on a more personal basis. In addition to cooking up samples, the market asked if I would sell whole sandwiches. No problem! But that meant at lunch time it got very busy, so I was fortunate to have two great volunteer assistants, my colleague Steve Saxton (some people say he looks like actor Justin Long), and Catherine Kimberly. They handled tasks like grating cheese, grilling, and serving sandwiches with aplomb and good humor.

We be jammin’ – Tomato Jammin’

Tomato Jam. It’s what’s for lunch when spread on a Grilled Cheese.

To finish National Grilled Cheese Month with a bang, I’m doing a cooking demo on how to make a perfect Grilled Cheese, this Saturday at the Farmers Market at Norfield Grange in Weston, Conn., from 11 to 2. (Stop by for a sample!)

I’ll be cooking two Grilled Cheese sandwiches — The Three Cheese Crisp, and my new creation which I’ve named The Weston, after the lovely Connecticut town I cover for my newspaper. I’ve gotten to know and admire many Westonites in the past eight years, so this is a little something in their honor.

The basic recipe for The Weston is:
•  Sourdough Bread
•  Butter infused with grated Cheddar (for outside of bread)
•  Cheddar Cheese
•  Smoked Gouda Cheese
•  Bacon
•  Tomato Jam  (with apples)

But this recipe isn’t carved in stone — yet! At the cooking demo, I’m going to try a few variations and see what people like best. After all, I’m naming it for them. I’m considering adding fresh rosemary to the butter, omitting the Smoked Gouda, possibly adding a crumbled Parmesan Crisp. Stay tuned!

Here is my recipe for Tomato Jam, a key component of The Weston.

Tomato Jam slideshow and recipe:

Grilled Cheese To Please

Chef Terrance Brennan, owner of Artisanal Bistro, and me at the 2012 Grilled Cheese contest.

April is National Grilled Cheese month. Who knew? Well actually I did. In 2012 I was a finalist in Artisanal Bistro’s Best Grilled Cheese contest in New York City. Although my entry — The Three Cheese Crisp, wasn’t the ultimate victor, two judges said they loved it and gave it perfect scores. After all, what’s not to love about sourdough bread slathered with rosemary-infused butter, filled with Gruyere and Fontina cheeses with two Parmesan crisps tucked in between and grilled to gooey perfection?

Hungry yet? If so, great, because I’m sharing my recipe with you as well as one for Andalusian Gazpacho, which I think makes the perfect Grilled Cheese/Tomato Soup combo.

I will be doing a cooking demo of the Three Cheese Crisp and my new creation “The Weston,” (featuring fresh tomato jam) at the Farmers Market at Norfield Grange in Weston, Conn, later this month. But more about that another day.

It’s April, so smile, and say “Yes please to Grilled Cheese!” (Photos and recipes to follow)