Melissa, our baker, makes great grilled sandwiches. So we sat down with her to find how she did it.

Here is what she said:

PP:Melissa, those were great grilled sandwiches that you prepared for our newsletter. Can you give us some advice?

Melissa: Well, it’s hard to go wrong with a grilled sandwich—just use good ingredients and serve them while they are hot.

PP: Come on, Melissa. There’s more to it than that.

Melissa: Not much. I like to get all my ingredients staged on the counter before I begin cooking. Then I’m not rummaging through the refrigerator looking for condiments while my sandwich is burning.

That’s especially important when you are using a cast iron panini press. With the heat from the cast iron, heat from top and bottom, the sandwich cooks quickly.

PP: Anything else when using a panini press?

Melissa: Make sure you get both the pan and press hot before you start. Oh, and make sure the sandwich is well-oiled. If you like butter, use butter. If you like olive oil, well—use that.

Oh, and make your sandwiches a little thicker; the press will make them thinner.

PP: What’s the best part of a grilled sandwich?

Melissa: For me, it’s the melted cheese. I like the cheese really melted, oozing out the edges. Oh, and I like good quality cheese.

PP: Are there any of those sandwiches left?

Melissa: I doubt it.

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