As I’m sitting on my parents couch, watching the history of Hostess cakes, I realized that up until a few days ago, I’ve never really felt like I just needed to escape from something. Usually I’m fine with staying in a stagnant place until I feel better, but after feeling physically and mentally stuck for two long weeks from a surprisingly devastating hurricane, a isolating nor’easter, and a redundantly crappy relationship with a certain dumdum, I decided that I needed to dip out of New York. I acted on this sudden freak out and impulsively bought a last minute ticket to Florida to recoup at my parents house on the beach.
I don’t know if my bummed-out state of mind stemmed from an unfortunately lame string of events or if it had something to do with seasonal depression, which sometimes happens to me when the sun starts to set at 4:00pm and my southern brain starts to get the blues. But I do know that a quick dip in the Atlantic ocean can make you feel refreshed, a solo bike ride on the beach can make you appreciate things again, and family feasts with your ma and pa, your brother, and his insatiable friends can leave a permanent smile on your face. There’s also the wiggly little body of my family’s dachshund, Ollie, that has made me feel all warm and gooey on the inside. And then there’s the mission of finding the perfect food-related name for the new doggy that I’m in the process of adopting at the Humane Society here in New Smyrna that has gotten me out of my funk. I’m thinking Butters might just be it for this sweet little doxie mix.
And as you can imagine, whenever I come home all my family and friends demand that I make them grilled cheese and although at first I was sort of reluctant for some reason or another, I was reminded that this type of sandwich really does have comforting qualities. I cooked up this sweet and spicy little grilled cheese with inspiration from both the North and the South; crispy sweet cornbread, super spicy buffalo flavored cheddar, sweet Spanish chorizo, and a bright celery salt mayo pack this sandwich full of bright, vibrant, and flaming hot goodness.
