Good God, GC! This is absolutely appalling! Wishing you all the -ma in the world!

Boob-ma to Cash, and neighbour-ma to Katie (and, fucking hell, I'm astounded that one even CAN complain about somebody hanging up their washing to dry. It's akin to complaining that someone doesn't microwave their dinner, afaic).

wrt the word "grill", I use it interchangeably with toast. I remain puzzled by the American term "grilled cheese", because it looks to me like fried cheese, rather than toasted cheese (which is what our grilled cheese sandwich generally is).

...otoh, a Toastie machine does pretty much fry the bread, I suppose, since you butter the outside of the sandwich before sticking it into the press.

...

...Huh. No wonder my kids get puzzled by English words.

I think the "grill" in grilled cheese is the kind of grill that is a synonym for griddle. Or maybe even a shortening of griddle. The big flat thing they cook everything on at a diner, isn't that also called a grill?

Oh, now these words all look made up and nonsensical.

I just had a melted cheese open faced sandwhich. I cheated, I toasted the bread the put cheese on the toast, and nuked it. Yummy.

When I was growing up, we made grilled cheese by placing a slice of cheese on the bread and putting it on the oven rack close to the top element in the oven. Then we'd cut it into fingers, and I'd try to get the middle bits.

Broiling confused me for some time because I figured it should bear some relation to boiling.

When I was growing up, we made grilled cheese by placing a slice of cheese on the bread and putting it on the oven rack close to the top element in the oven

In my family, we call that "cheese toast" and I love it.

The best grilled cheese I ever had was made by a neighbor when I was growing up and contradicted a bunch of prejudices. Basically frying white bread in Mayo on the griddle, and adding American cheese. Pretty sure it was brand specific - had to be Wonder Bread, Kraft Cheese, Don't know what brand of Mayo.

In my family, we call that "cheese toast" and I love it.

We do, too. I forgot about that variant.

Thank you person in the dim distant past who figured out that we could make and eat cheese!

I make grilled cheese under the grill. Seemed to make sense.

Of course the internet has more to tell me! From [link]

A survey of American cookbooks reveals that recipes titled for "toasted cheese" sandwiches predate those titled "grilled cheese." Grilled cheese shows up in print in the 1960s. BUT!!! It is also apparent that most recipes for toasted cheese sandwiches were broiled (what the English term grill). To further complicate matters, there seems to be little or no relationship between the name of the dish and the instructed method of cookery. Heating methods include toasting in a broiler, baking in a oven and frying on a cooktop with a frying pan, griddle or similar device. It is interesting to note one does not find recipes for "fried cheese sandwiches," even though many of the recipes called for this cooking method. Curious, yes?

By coincidence, my lunch today was a toasted sandwich, containing soy and ginger tuna with cheddar cheese.