The perfect Cheese on Toast
Cheese on toast is a food that many of us grew up with as kids and is now a comfort food. It is easy, quick to make and taste pretty good. It can be eaten any time of the day, even late at night.
So who would have thought that there was an actual formula for the perfect Cheese on Toast, or as it is known in the USA “a melted cheese”.
Money has been spent and thorough research (and probably many taste tests!!!!) done in the UK and we now have the exact formula for the perfect cheese on toast.
The tests were broken down into three parts; the grilling, the bread and the cheese, as these are the factors which will determine just how good a cheese on toast can be.
The British Cheese Board in conjunction with The Royal Society of Chemistry ran a series of tests on the grilling conditions, changing just one variable at a time. It was done according to standard scientific testing to ensure the results were valid and repeatable.
The grilling tests were carried out by Ruth Neale, the Science Executive at the Society. Once she had determined the exact cooking requirements for the perfect Cheese on toast, the Secretary of the Society and cheese expert, Nigel White, then used those conditions to test cheeses and breads.
So what is the magic formula?
The final word goes to Ruth, who said; “As the result of tests we carried out in our Chemistry Centre kitchen, we found that the perfect slice can be made by melting 50 g of sliced hard cheese, such as cheddar, on a slice of white bread, 10 mm thick, under the grill. The cheese on toast should sit at a distance of 18 cm from the heat source – which in our grill was at a temperature of 115°C – and needs to cook for four minutes to achieve the perfect consistency and taste.”
It may seem light hearted to some, but this testing to determine the formula for the perfect Cheese on Toast is a simple example of how food science is carried out, and this sort of research is what makes new and improved products every day.
Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.