What Goes With a Grilled Cheese Sandwich?

A grilled cheese sandwich pairs best with ayran or tomato soup — its rich, oily texture calls for something tangy or brothy alongside it, and ayran's mild sourness cuts right through the greasy feel the cheese leaves in the mouth. Which pickles suit a grilled cheese sandwich? Pickles are one of the classic accompaniments to a grilled cheese sandwich; cucumber or pepper pickles are the usual choice, since the sharp, sour flavor of these two types of pickle balances the sandwich's heaviness. Sharper pickles like pickled cabbage are used less often, as they can overwhelm the cheese's mild flavor. Tomato slices work well too; the juiciness of fresh tomato offsets the dryness of the toasted bread and adds a touch of freshness to the plate. How should drinks be matched? For a morning grilled cheese sandwich, unsweetened black tea is a solid choice — its light bitterness helps cut through the oiliness of the cheese. In the afternoon, cold ayran works both as a cooler and as a counterbalance to the fat. Fizzy drinks are not a good match here; the bloated feeling carbonation brings, combined with the grilled cheese sandwich's already heavy texture, can leave an uncomfortable sense of fullness. What snacks go alongside it? Adding a light snack such as raisins or walnuts next to a grilled cheese sandwich is not that common, but olives often show up on a classic Turkish breakfast table; their salty bite strikes a good balance with the cheese's oiliness. A second oily item, such as chips or fries, should not be served alongside the grilled cheese sandwich — stacking two greasy elements together weighs the plate down and pushes the sandwich's own flavor into the background. Some breakfast tables serve a grilled cheese sandwich with a boiled egg on the side; the egg's neutral flavor acts as a balancing point against the grilled cheese sandwich's strong, cheesy aroma. How thick the bread is also shapes what goes alongside it; a thin grilled cheese sandwich stays light enough that a pickle or tomato on the side does not feel like too much, while a thick one is heavy enough that a brothy soup makes a better balance. If sucuk (Turkish sausage) or another sausage is added to the grilled cheese sandwich, the pairings shift a little; a refreshing drink like lemon soda can replace ayran in that case, since a sausage grilled cheese sandwich carries a heavier flavor than a plain cheese one. When a grilled cheese sandwich is meant to be a light evening meal, the soup on the side becomes more important; a thick lentil soup alongside the grilled cheese sandwich makes a complete evening meal, so there is no need for a second heavy item — the soup and the grilled cheese sandwich round each other out. If tomato or pepper has been added to the grilled cheese sandwich itself, the pickle on the side can be a touch less sour; the vegetable inside already brings some freshness, and an overly sour pickle can throw that balance off. Adding a few cucumber slices to the edge of the plate is another common habit when serving a grilled cheese sandwich to guests; the cucumber's freshness brings a small but effective balance against the grilled cheese sandwich's oily weight.