Marvelous Melting or Breaking Badly?

Cook’s Illustrated test cook Lan Lam pulls on one of several blobs of cheese (including Vermont cheddar, fontina, Gruyère, Danish blue and mozzarella) melted on a large skillet in an oven. Playing with our food again? Sure, but this time there’s a reason: Lan’s working on a recipe for grown-up grilled cheese sandwiches, and when it comes to the success of the classic comfort food, the meltiness of the cheese is of paramount importance. Taking note of the results of this test will help her develop the best possible (read: most gooey and least broken) final recipe.