Apple Pie Grilled Cheese?

When I was six, my parents took me to the Springfield Diner. I remember retro vibe: the plastic red chairs and booths, the waiters in roller skates, and the neon sign out front that blinked “Open.” I recall that the small TV over the cash register was tuned into the 2012 Summer Olympics. On the screen, tall men in tiny swimsuits dove into the water. The smell of grease wafted from the kitchen. On a ledge, piles of pancakes and burgers waited to be delivered to tables, and a bell rang as patrons came in and out. Overhead speakers played nineties music.

As a kid, my preferred diet consisted of nearly pure sugar. On rare occasions, my mother would say “yes” to my pleadings for apple pie. On this day, the waiter rolled over to my table and placed in front of me a piece of apple pie with a slice of cheddar cheese on top.

“Yuck! No! What is that?!” I pointed to the cheese. The sight of cheese on pie made me want to gag. The whole idea confused me. At the time, I was about as open-minded as a locked pantry door.

“Just try it,” my father said.

Instead, I used my fork to expel the cheese from my pie, which I then consumed happily.

Years later, when my palette expanded, I finally tasted the bizarre combination of apple pie with a melty slice of cheddar on top. First, I tasted the cheese, then the apple slices which were soft and tender. The combination of salty and sweet made the experience surprisingly delectable.

You might be curious about why this odd combination tastes so exquisite.

Imagine an apple, a sweet yet sour, soft yet crisp fruit. Granny Smith apples, the sourest and crispest of them all, are preferable in apple pie. They contain a particle called malic acid, which is a type of dicarboxylic acid that all living organisms produce. It is a lar

ge organic molecule that the human body breaks down easily.

Now, imagine a slice of cheese, creamy and salty, with a sharp flavor. Cheese, which is a dairy product consists of casein, which is composed of similar proteins that form a granular structure, almost like sugar. It is a protein that doubles as an enzyme! These two particles, malic acid and casein, swirl together and react with large molecules that release prolactin. Prolactin, a pituitary hormone, travels to the brain in under a second and makes the pituitary gland release emotions, potentially leading to feelings of enjoyment. In this way, the reaction between both the creamy cheese and sweet apples leaves the eater immediately satisfied.

So the next time your sitting in your local diner, pondering what to order, remember this article and be brave. Order a slice of apple pie, but make sure to ask for a slice of cheddar cheese on top!