The Perfect Pairing: Grilled Cheese and Local Cider

A delicious grilled cheese made with Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company’s Toma, onions caramelized with a dash of Ethic Cider’s Gravitude Cider and slices of crisp apples on sourdough bread—sweet and savory comfort food perfect for brisk autumn nights. Just add a good movie and a blanket! And, of course, don’t let the rest of that bottle of cider go to waste…

makes 2 sandwiches

YOUR SHOPPING LIST

• 6 ounces Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company’s Toma (Point Reyes)

This cheese is buttery and savory with a bit of grassy tang. An award-winning cheese made with microbial (vegetarian) rennet and aged for 90 days. Perfect for melting.

• splash of Ethic Cider’s Gravitude Cider (Petaluma)—save the rest for your glass!

Made from organically grown local hero apple, the Gravenstein, this lightly sparkling cider is dry with notes of apricot.

• locally grown apple, cored and sliced into ¼-inch thick wedges

• ½ yellow or red onion, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds

• 4 tablespoons Butter, divided

• 4 slices of Crusty Sourdough Bread

HOW TO PREPARE

Place the onions in a pan with 2 tablespoons butter over low heat. Once the onions are softened and translucent, add a splash of cider, continuing to cook until the liquid has evaporated.

Grate the Toma and spread one half over 2 slices of sourdough bread. Top the cheese with a layer of caramelized onions, then a layer of apples, then sprinkle with the remainder of the cheese.

Top each sandwich with a second slice of bread.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat and add the sandwiches.

Once the first side has lightly browned and the cheese has begun to melt, carefully turn the sandwiches over and continue to cook until the second side is a golden brown and the cheese is deliciously melted.

Serve warm, with a glass of chilled cider!