The Classic Cheese Sandwich updated

A cheese sandwich is kind of boring...yet is so satisfying.  I became hooked on them on my first real babysitting job (non sibling and good money) many, many.....many years ago.  It has been very hot lately and cooking  is as appealing as teeth pulling right now.  Nourishing foods that can go directly from fridge to plate are coveted. (We made an exception for one of the optional ingredients initially, but it became a fridge item soon after cooking.)

Old Version as taught to me by the kids I was in charge of:
2 slices of bread
Mayo on BOTH slices
Mild Orange Cheddar Cheese slices to cover bread
Cut in half, NOT diagonal (these things matter, you know.)

New Version as dictated by an adult palate
2 slices of bread
slathering of mayo on one slice
slathering of mustard on the other (optional, may use mayo for both)
sprinkle of cream of tartar
sprinkle of cane sugar (optional, depends on the mayo used)
sprinkle of sea salt
Raw, white, sharp cheddar  to cover bread

Opened face cheese sandwich with bacon and nectarine

Optional ingredients:
baked bacon strips
tomato or cucumber
bread and butter pickles or dill slices
fruit of choice
salted or pickled beet slices

I used Brunkow raw milk "Aged cheddar" in a 5 pound block which makes for square slices that fit perfectly on the bread.

The mayo was Hain's Safflower Mayo (no soy or HFCS) instead of homemade because I needed to use it up.  Once it's gone, it's gone.

The mustard was Gulden's spicy brown mustard.  I grew up with Gulden's and now a days, it's one of the only ones I can find that hasn't been watered down.  Seriously...even "gourmet" mustards are now sporting water as one of the top 3 ingredients.

Bread was a sourdough spelt from Berlin Natural bakery....just spelt, water and sea salt.  I don't make my own bread....not for one loaf a year.

The bacon is homegrown and baked in a  350* oven on a broiler pan for 25 minutes, not preheated. I used the oven instead of frying because I think that helps make flatter bacon and we don't need the extra fat in the summer.  We will save it to flavor a cool weather dish someday.

I used a nectarine for mine because it needed using and made an open faced sandwich because I only had one piece of bread left.  The sandwiches were more popular than expected...not a bad problem to have.

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