Lindsey Nair

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Long before I ever broke down a whole chicken, layered a lasagna or brined a pork loin, I had perfected my grilled cheese sandwich.

And after trying caviar, eating foie gras and enjoying filet Oscar once a year at the beach, the grilled cheese sandwich -- April's food of the month -- is still my favorite meal, hands down.

Over the course of decades, I have learned to distribute the butter just right over the best bread, to use a favorite combination of cheeses that maximize both melting and oozing, and to fry the sandwich to the perfect degree of goldenness.

So enamoured am I with this ultimate piece of comfort food that the minister even mentioned grilled cheese sandwiches during my wedding vows.

OK, the minister happened to be my best childhood friend, with whom I have enjoyed many a post-sledding, post-bicycling, post-basketball or post-swimming lunch of soup and grilled cheese. She had to mention how long we have known each other and how many of those favorite lunches we've shared.

I learned to make the sandwich myself at an early age for good reason: One grandmother insisted on adding mayonnaise to her version, which I ate out of respect even though it repulsed me.

My other grandma -- whose idea of cooking is to open a can -- made the sandwich with two pieces of dry toast, a slice of American cheese and a microwave.

Although grilled cheese has always been my desert island food, my own recipe has evolved quite a bit from the white bread, margarine and American cheese of the early years.

Today, the bread has to be Arnold's Health Nut, a thick, hearty bread dotted with barley and walnuts. The lubricant is real butter or Fleischmann's olive oil spread, and the cheese is not just American, but also a heap of shredded cheddar/Monterey Jack blend.

Of course, the real key to a perfect grilled cheese is to keep a watchful eye on the pan to make sure it doesn't burn. Because when it burns, it burns fast.

So now we see that I'm insanely devoted to the grilled cheese sandwich, but never before did I consider that others share my infatuation.

I should've known that a sandwich so simple in theory, yet so adaptable in practice, would inspire fan clubs, Facebook groups, blogs and even a national competition called the Grilled Cheese Invitational, which has taken place in various cities since 2003.

This year's invitational is April 19 in Los Angeles, but if the competition ever comes close to Roanoke, Anna Robertson and Brandon Davis will have an advantage over most cooks in town.

Anna and Brandon are the husband-and-wife team behind Pop's Ice Cream and Soda Bar on Memorial Avenue in Roanoke. In addition to all the ice cream treats, Pop's also sells 13 kinds of grilled cheese sandwiches, all with vegetarian toppings.

Anna says the best-seller is the Swiss Melt, which is stuffed with artichoke hearts, avocado, Dijon mustard, horseradish and Swiss cheese.

But the sandwich that started it all for Pop's was the Sharply Sweet, which is made with cinnamon cream cheese, sharp cheddar and sliced apples. After Anna and Brandon came up with that sandwich for the menu, they knew they should just stick with the theme.

The fact that Anna and Brandon also make their grilled cheeses with a 1958 Toastmaster sandwich press shows that they truly are some serious grilled cheesemeisters.

For another mouthwatering twist on the standard grilled cheese, head to Zak's Cafe downtown for the Market Cheese panini.

The Market Cheese starts with Tuscan bread, which is topped with mozzarella, cheddar and pepperjack cheeses. After that, they lay on grilled mushrooms and red peppers and finish it off with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise.

Zak's version of the grilled cheese sandwich is the only one I'll ever eat with mayonnaise.

Up at the Blue Ridge Restaurant in Floyd, they know how to transform a grilled cheese into a bacon lover's dream.

Their version, known as the No. 6, starts with pumpernickel and is stacked with provolone cheese, bacon, grilled onions and jalapeno peppers. Add some fried squash or a potato cake on the side and you won't eat again for days.

I had to give props to those restaurants for putting a clever spin on an old favorite. And if you know of any other worthy versions, I'd love to hear from you.

But while I do enjoy those "gourmet" sandwiches, I know that my favorite grilled cheese sandwich will always come out of a frying pan in my own kitchen.

After all, I've had lots of practice.