New Zealand's PB&J Equivalent Is Cheese, Milk And Onion Soup Mix
When you're running on your last brain cell of the day and are craving a simple yet satisfying snack that requires precisely zero forethought, what do you reach for in the kitchen? Your answer (or at least one of them) probably aligns with where you grew up and what was available to you. For millions of Americans, a humble peanut butter and jelly sandwich is the ideal food for moments of indecision, famish childlike joy, sadness, boredom, anxiety, nostalgia, or any other emotion that might accompany your average weekday lunch hour.
On an episode of "The Splendid Table," cookbook author and Food Network personality Justin Warner credits the popularity of PB&J to the "the law" of its ingredients. "This combination of fat, fruit and something to spread it on is an archetype," he said. "It's a law." Warner lists common "laws" in other beloved comestibles, like coffee and cream and bagels and lox. In New Zealand, the "law" of a cheese roll made with milk and onion soup mix makes it the equivalent of America's peanut butter and jelly.
Grilled cheese could never
"What's the peanut butter and jelly of your culture?" That's the question posed to a Reddit board by a curious American who wanted to know "what foods seem like they don't go well together," but in fact serve as a "common staple." The answers, cited by Food & Wine, run the gamut of textures and flavor profiles, from sweet and spicy (like chili powder on tamarind candy, per a user from Mexico) to creamy and crunchy (like the endlessly snackable combination of "hummus and things that are not hummus").
One user from New Zealand identified cheese rolls as their island's answer to the PB&J. Specifically, cheese rolls made from bread, cheese, evaporated milk, and onion soup mix. "Even people from other parts of the country think it's weird, but they are fantastic," wrote the user. To the naked eye, the cheese roll in question (pictured above) looks like an oblong grilled cheese with white bread. Inside, however, a world of unexpected flavor awaits.
Don't skip the butter on top
A Food Channel contributor recalls discovering cheese rolls on their first visit to New Zealand. "I spotted a thick piece of bread rolled with something that looked like cheese," they wrote. It was served toasted, with butter on top. It didn't disappoint. "The flavored cheese and buttered crispy bread were exactly what I needed at that moment."
The following recipe calls for a loaf of "soft long white bread," grated cheddar cheese, some finely chopped onion, a cup of evaporated milk, and melted butter. The essential ingredient is the half packet of onion soup or French onion dip powder, which gives the dish a supremely savory, salty kick.
When the ingredients for the filling are combined on the stove, they form a mass of onion-y, cheesy goodness. You spread that mass on your bread, roll it into a log, brush it with butter, and let it turn golden brown in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Peanut butter and jelly who?