Cheese dream facts for kids
A cheese dream topped with bacon
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| Type | Open sandwich |
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| Place of origin | United States |
| Main ingredients | Bread, cheddar cheese, butter |
The cheese dream is a yummy open-faced sandwich from the United States. It's a bit like a grilled cheese sandwich, but it's usually cooked with the top side open. It's made with simple ingredients like bread, cheese, and butter, plus other tasty additions.
You can cook a cheese dream in different ways: in a pan on the stove, under a broiler (which cooks with heat from above), or in an oven. The simplest version is just a slice of bread with American cheese on top, broiled until the cheese gets bubbly and a little brown. You can also add other ingredients like bacon, tomato, pineapple, or even eggs to make it extra special.
Contents
History of the Cheese Dream
When Did Cheese Dreams Start?
Cheese dreams are thought to have become popular during the Great Depression, a time in the 1930s when many people faced economic hardship. Because they used basic and affordable ingredients like bread, butter, and cheese, they were a cheap and easy meal. People often served them as an "inexpensive company supper dish" or for feeding friends and family at Sunday supper.
Early Recipes and Additions
People would often add sliced tomatoes, ham, or bacon to their cheese dreams. They were also sometimes served with olives and pickles. A newspaper story from 1932, the San Jose News, suggested adding a tiny bit of mustard, cayenne pepper, and some minced red sweet pepper to the cheese. The sandwich was then browned on both sides and served with a hot tomato sauce.
It seems cheese dreams might even be older than the Great Depression. A magazine called Good Housekeeping mentioned "Cheese Dreams" as a lunch item back in 1918, calling it "our teahouse friend."
Cheese Dreams in the Mid-20th Century
In 1957, cheese dreams were advertised as a special lunch item for 55 cents in Daytona Beach, Florida. In 1960, the Milwaukee Journal newspaper suggested making cheese dreams in the oven with scrambled eggs and ham. This shows how popular and versatile this simple sandwich was.
Modern Cheese Dream Ideas
A Comfort Food Comeback
The grilled cheese sandwich, which includes the cheese dream, was a popular comfort food in the 1950s. It has become popular again in recent years, especially since the 1990s. In 2001, it was estimated that people in America eat about 2.2 billion grilled cheese sandwiches every year!
New Twists on a Classic
Today, chefs are trying out new ways to make cheese dreams, using different kinds of bread and cheese. For example, some use Pumpernickel, dark brown, or rye bread with cheeses like Swiss cheese, Gouda, or havarti.
Other creative ideas for cheese dreams include:
- Apples with mozzarella cheese.
- Peaches with Edam cheese.
- Pears with Gorgonzola or brie cheese.
- Italian herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, and mozzarella.
- Turkey and ham, which can create a twist on a Monte Cristo sandwich.
Scott Fletcher from the Grafton Village Cheese Company makes his cheese dreams with rustic country bread, sharp Cheddar cheese, white pepper, eggs, milk, unsalted butter, and maple syrup. These new ideas show how a simple cheese dream can be made into a gourmet meal!
See also
In Spanish: Cheese dream para niños
