The Grilled Cheeserie
T'was a chilly day last Wednesday when I met up with my friends at the Nashville Scene office. There was already a line /formed and we hurried to get a place. Everyone had that look of anticipation on their faces, the look that said "I have been WAITING for this, it's going to be awesome." Also, we were all really really hungry. Did I mention we were outside on this 20 degree day? But it was fun and well worth the wait for my first taste of The Grilled Cheeserie.
The brains (and chef) behind this truck is Crystal De luna-Bogan who also runs Izzy & Bell Catering and who is the pastry chef at ChaChah. With the skills and knowledge taught to her by her uncle who also runs food trucks out in California, Crystal embarked on the Grilled Cheeserie wagon (pun fully intended) in November and they've been whetting appetites around town ever since.
They're out and about in the daytime and nighttime, but to find out where they are it's best to keep up via Twitter. This Thursday they'll be at Pinkberry in the day so go get some grilled cheese and a healthy dessert after. That is, if you have room after the Grilled Cheeserie's homemade pudding cup.
Back to Wednesday. We must have stood in line for 20 minutes (the line was LOOOOONG) and when it came to our turn to order, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs and we each ordered a sandwich, tater tots, soup and pudding. Unfortunately while we were waiting for our order to be cooked, their fryer almost exploded so Crystal gave us each a peppermint brownie (also homemade) and a bag of chips in lieu of our tots. I don't usually like brownies but that one was infused with tea and tasted amazing.
The Grilled Cheeserie uses gourmet ingredients - according to the Nashville Scene's write up on them, "she's using bread from Silke's Old World Breads, the family-owned German bakery in Clarksville, with a gluten-free bread option from Auntie Anne's Bakery in town. The cheese comes courtesy of Sweetwater Valley Farms in Philadelphia, Tenn. Fromage fetishists, take note: Grilled Cheeserie will offer buttermilk cheddar, smoked cheddar, classic American, provolone, Gruyere, a creamy jack and a brie. In all, she'll offer six specialty melts on the menu, with a build-your-own option, a soy-based cheese for vegans, and seasonal items as they become available."
Read the rest of the article here.
Crystal is a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef so she knows how to prepare food and how to prepare it WELL. To say I was excited is a major understatement. I was also really glad to finally meet her in person (we'd spoken once before, then played an extended game of phone and email tag. Have I mentioned how nice she is?? No? Well she's very nice).
When it came to my turn I ordered: Old Fashioned Tomato Soup, a Crepe Madame (next time I'm trying the Caliente - queso fresca, jack, chorizo, avacado, pickled jalapeno, caramelized onion on sourdough), tots a brownie/chips, and the pudding that day was a salted caramel pudding.
I. Ate. It. ALL. I'm a sucker for a fried egg, the ham, which I believe is local, wasn't too salty and tasted really good. The bread, oh man the bread looked like regular white bread but it tasted super fresh. The egg, ham and bread combined with the gruyere and the spicy mustard started these flavor fireworks in my mouth. I tried to savor every bite but I didn't want it to get cold. Talk about comfort food... it was all delicious. The tomato soup was hearty and thick but not overly creamy or heavy. The pudding? Oh the pudding... it was well worth the wait. Salt and caramel are a letal, heavenly combination. Mix that with the creamy pudding and you have a fireworks afterparty.
Please sir, can I have some more?
Follow The Grilled Cheeserie on Twitter, find them and get yourself some fresh comfort food. You won't be sorry.
The brains (and chef) behind this truck is Crystal De luna-Bogan who also runs Izzy & Bell Catering and who is the pastry chef at ChaChah. With the skills and knowledge taught to her by her uncle who also runs food trucks out in California, Crystal embarked on the Grilled Cheeserie wagon (pun fully intended) in November and they've been whetting appetites around town ever since.
They're out and about in the daytime and nighttime, but to find out where they are it's best to keep up via Twitter. This Thursday they'll be at Pinkberry in the day so go get some grilled cheese and a healthy dessert after. That is, if you have room after the Grilled Cheeserie's homemade pudding cup.
Back to Wednesday. We must have stood in line for 20 minutes (the line was LOOOOONG) and when it came to our turn to order, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs and we each ordered a sandwich, tater tots, soup and pudding. Unfortunately while we were waiting for our order to be cooked, their fryer almost exploded so Crystal gave us each a peppermint brownie (also homemade) and a bag of chips in lieu of our tots. I don't usually like brownies but that one was infused with tea and tasted amazing.
The Grilled Cheeserie uses gourmet ingredients - according to the Nashville Scene's write up on them, "she's using bread from Silke's Old World Breads, the family-owned German bakery in Clarksville, with a gluten-free bread option from Auntie Anne's Bakery in town. The cheese comes courtesy of Sweetwater Valley Farms in Philadelphia, Tenn. Fromage fetishists, take note: Grilled Cheeserie will offer buttermilk cheddar, smoked cheddar, classic American, provolone, Gruyere, a creamy jack and a brie. In all, she'll offer six specialty melts on the menu, with a build-your-own option, a soy-based cheese for vegans, and seasonal items as they become available."
Read the rest of the article here.
Crystal is a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef so she knows how to prepare food and how to prepare it WELL. To say I was excited is a major understatement. I was also really glad to finally meet her in person (we'd spoken once before, then played an extended game of phone and email tag. Have I mentioned how nice she is?? No? Well she's very nice).
When it came to my turn I ordered: Old Fashioned Tomato Soup, a Crepe Madame (next time I'm trying the Caliente - queso fresca, jack, chorizo, avacado, pickled jalapeno, caramelized onion on sourdough), tots a brownie/chips, and the pudding that day was a salted caramel pudding.
I. Ate. It. ALL. I'm a sucker for a fried egg, the ham, which I believe is local, wasn't too salty and tasted really good. The bread, oh man the bread looked like regular white bread but it tasted super fresh. The egg, ham and bread combined with the gruyere and the spicy mustard started these flavor fireworks in my mouth. I tried to savor every bite but I didn't want it to get cold. Talk about comfort food... it was all delicious. The tomato soup was hearty and thick but not overly creamy or heavy. The pudding? Oh the pudding... it was well worth the wait. Salt and caramel are a letal, heavenly combination. Mix that with the creamy pudding and you have a fireworks afterparty.
Please sir, can I have some more?
Follow The Grilled Cheeserie on Twitter, find them and get yourself some fresh comfort food. You won't be sorry.
