I spent a decent part of my childhood in front of a microwave in a trance, watching the plate turn like a Lazy Susan in a Chinese restaurant. I'm hoping I'm not the only one who did this. Surely it would have been a TikTok trend if the app existed back in the 90s.
On the microwave plate was a slice of cheese on a saucer – pure indulgence in its simplest, and dare I say, naughtiest form.
Suffice to say, mum had lots of cups without saucers back then because as you would've guessed, nuking a slice of cheese on high heat in a microwave for 45 to 60 seconds will get you a bubbly piece of cheese. The problem was that the charred edges marked the porcelain, which I could never get off. Even though I was a good daughter and helped around the kitchen as a kid, after failing to scratch off the charcoal I would throw the saucer in the bin. What happens in the kitchen, stays in the kitchen.
My days of microwaving cheese have long gone, but I have to admit, I still love melting it. However, instead of making or a , I prefer to grill cheese.
With summer around the corner again, I'm encouraging you to throw a slab of cheese on your grill or barbie. But before you do, there are some steadfast rules to follow.
The first is to remember that not all cheese is made equal. This means that some cheeses will do exactly what you think they will do when exposed to 400°C – melt into an awful mess. So, with that in mind, you'll need to grill cheese with a high melting point so that it only softens, as opposed to combusts.
Halloumi
Halloumi has to be the most common grill-worthy cheese. The cow's milk cheese, which hails from Cyprus, is hard and almost rubbery in its raw state, but when grilled over high heat it becomes crispy around the edges and softens without becoming lava. Put it in your sandwich, pita or salad. 
For chef , paneer rates as one of the best cheeses if you like a "pleasantly squeaky and chewy bite", which it gives after it's exposed to high heat. Made with cow or buffalo milk, paneer remains a staple in Harry's home. The cheese is easy to get and versatile.
Amp up your salad with some grilled halloumi. Source: My Market Kitchen
Mangat says, "I ate paneer all the time as a kid and still do. It's one of the only cheeses found in India and it can be easily grilled, pan-fried, barbecued, cooked in a tandoor and further cooked in sauces and curries."
ADAM LIAW'S PALAK PANEER PENNE
Palak paneer penne
He says you can eat it in many different ways but it's particularly good when eaten fresh.
"The best has to be in sarson [ka] saag [curry] where the paneer is seared on a pan or a barbecue before being added to a mix of mustard leaves, fenugreek, radish leaves, chilli and tomato."
For optimum flavour, Harry suggests marinating the paneer. "Just grilled is really good but when marinated [in mint and coriander or Tandoori spices], it is best."
Provolone
Another great cheese for the barbecue is provolone. Although Italians are not known for their barbecue culture, a country with many types of cheeses is bound to have one that is suitable for the grill. Provolone is probably the most common and easily accessible cheese to cook this way.
PROVOLONE RECIPE
A Puglian panino pairing BBQ octopus and provolone cheese
, a chef in Melbourne, says cheese has always been a key feature in her family's recipes.
"Being Southern Italian, we always have provolone, grana padano or ricotta salata in the fridge, which all originate from where my family is from."
Her family uses soft ricotta in pasta pomodoro, and grana padano and provolone on the grill.
The harder one is provolone piccante and that's the one you want.
The grill brings out the saltiness of grana padano. Meanwhile, grilled provolone makes it salad worthy.
"But be sure to get a harder version of provolone from your deli and not just regular provolone. I usually seek out a place that makes its own (Europa in Moorabbin, Melbourne is one that comes to mind]. The harder one is provolone piccante and that's the one you want."
Queijo coalho
Brazil's barbecue culture is the stuff of envy, but if you have friends from the northeastern region, or you have food-loving friends like I do, you can enjoy queijo coalho. This is delightfully squeaky and rubbery cheese that comes alive when placed on a hot grill.
I love this cheese either fresh and served with a sweet chutney or sandwiched between tapioca pancakes made of manioc flour. I still dream of getting my hands on the cheese I ate almost daily when I lived in Brazil.
"For both coalho and halloumi, we serve them with sugar cane syrup or as a savoury option with oregano, black pepper and olive oil."
He usually cuts them into tiny cubes, skewers them and cooks them over charcoal until soft. "But it must be served immediately to taste the best."
