Ahem. Apparently their cheesy for-the-people experiment went so well, they’re having a grilled cheese contest on their facebook wall and declare April grilled cheese month [grilled cheese menu for studying, pdf]. You read that right, the place with $15 grilled cheese sandwiches has a facebook page. Here I thought facebook was for college kids and Artisanal is for business lunches! Times they are a changin’! (You need a facebook account to participate, but can read about the contest on their site)

The contest is pretty sweet. You have until April 17th to post your recipe on their facebook wall and if they like it they invite you to a judging on April 29th where Terrance Brennan (Artisanal / Pincoline), Eric Rpiert (Le Bernadin), Josh Ozersky (editor of CitySearch), Tanya Wenman Steel (Editor in Cheif of Epicurious.com), Rob Kaufelt (owner of Murray’s Cheese) will rate them on “taste, texture, and originality”.

The winning sandwich gets on the menu at Artisanal, dinner for two at Artisanala and a cheese gift basket, though you don’t get a cut of the sales of your sandwich.

Some sandwichy stipulations:

Recipe Guidelines:

* Sandwich recipes submitted should be in keeping with the artisanal, local and organic products used at Artisanal.
* Recipes must specify the thickness of the bread.
* Recipes should specify the approximate thickness, weight or amount of the cheese.
* Recipes should specify how to cook the sandwich including cooking time.
* Other ingredients should be measured in cups, tablespoons and teaspoons, not ounces.

I’m going to call it right here and now: the winning sandwich will feature some fancy cheese mixture with either bacon or pork belly. Two food’s of the moment join for contest winnings!

Anyone going to enter?

Bacon, cheddar and apple grilled cheese from Artisanal:

There are three grilled cheeses on their menu: cheddar with apple and bacon, tallegio, croque monsieur and a croque madam. (They’ve also got a pulled pork sandwich and a sirloin burger, neither of which sound very French.) I sampled both the cheddar and the croque monsieur and both were fantastic, though neither were particularly cheap.

First up, the cheddar with apple and bacon ($15.50). This one was much better than I expected, mostly becuase I hate fruit in my food. But this morsel had only the thinnest slices of apple that were warmed up and only slightly crunchy. Both sides were nicely browned and the cheddar and bacon were fantastic as only cheesy bacon can be. Yum.

The croque monsieur ($16.50) was also amazing. The same bread slices filled with gruyere and prosciutto, pan fried until melted and golden brown, and then slathered with more gruyere. It was like eating a big brick of molten gruyere with veins of prosciutto. I’m not sure about anyone else, but that’s pretty much what I think about when I stare at the floor on the subway: gruyere, gruyere, prosciutto… you know how it goes.

Now I know Artisanal is trying to make their menu friendlier during these harsh economic times, but who are they kidding? $15 for grilled cheese is absurd. Seriously. These sandwiches are fantastic, but unless it’s a special occasion or you want to get a taste of exactly how these sandwiches should taste or you have a mild to strong sandwich obsession, you should make these at home. These are street snacks, after all! Grab some cheese and toast some bread with a little meat and voila.

Artisanal uses top cheeses that really make these sing:

I’m not sure why they chose to serve it on orange paper:

Don’t touch those pickles, they’re NASTY:

See all the cheese? I’d love to die and be reborn as that prosciutto!

To welcome in the new laboratory, I’ve decided to start with the basics: grilled cheese.

I looked in the sandwichbooks on my shelf and none of them even bother to include this staple! I was horrified, so I googled “ultimate grilled cheese” and found this thorough recipe for grilled cheese with sour cream bread. What was supposed to be a quick bread-making session turned into a half-day long I’m-hungry-and-can’t-wait-for-the-bread-to-rise journey. The net effect was that my taste buds were primed and ready for crunchy, cheesy action. Everyone says cheddar is the best for grilled cheese. I say, “perhaps, but let’s find out!” And with that set out to test 3 cheeses: Baby Swiss, NY Sharp Cheddar and Chile Pepper Jack (and a blend of all 3). All delicious, but do they fit the grilled cheese mold?

No.

The swiss tasted too tangy, the jack too peppery and the cheddar absolutely delicious. Turns out cheddar is the best. And testing new grilled cheeses is fun, tasty and filling.

Clockwise from the top: Chile Pepper Jack, NY Sharp Cheddar, Baby Swiss

The Bread: The sour cream bread came out a little short, and very crumbly. It needs to be cooled completely and cut into THIN slices. The cheese and bread join forces as the cheese seeps into the crumbly structure.

The Sandwiches: Pan fried in plenty of butter until golden brown and crispy. Be sure to keep the heat low enough, or cover the pan, so the cheese melts.

Tasting Bites: Each type of cheese sandwich was sliced up for everyone to taste. Why don’t people serve these slices alongside pigs-in-blankets?

The Vanishing Act: The final three slices. I miss you, grilled cheese!