Our Story
Gayle V's Best Ever Grilled Cheese is a member of the Chicago Loop Alliance. We started at the Green City Market in 2010 at the Prairie Pure Cheese booth. I was selling cheese at the market and thought since there was fresh baked bread right next to me (Bennison's Bakery from Evanston, IL) and fresh butter on the other side of the market (Nordic Creamery from Westby, WI) and I had the best cheese for melting, maybe I should make grilled cheese. And so it began. I only use Prairie Pure Cheese from Belvidere, IL.
Let me tell you a little about how I came to be a cheese vendor at the market. I had a home based bookkeeping business Brian J. Gerloff, DVM, PhD was one of my clients. Brian had a large animal veterinary practice in Northern Illinois and had noticed a dramatic decline in the number of dairy farms. He wanted to do something to help sustain at least one farm so he partnered up with one of his clients, Todd and Brenda Aves in Belvidere, IL, (a 100 year old dairy farm with 90 cows) and started Prairie Pure Cheese. When Brian sold his practice and no longer needed a bookkeeper, he asked if I would like to be the sales rep, market vendor and delivery person for Prairie Pure Cheese. Since I had filled in at the market a few times for him, (and absolutely loved it), I said sure! I was doing 2 markets at the time, (3 days), and now do 3 markets.
Not only did the cheese sustain the Aves' farm, but they put up a new barn and added cows to their herd. Grilled cheese with a purpose! They now are using milk from Hildebrandt Family Farms.
Expanding the Menu
The first year I sold only "The Classic" which had Prairie Pure Butterkäse cheese on it, fresh bread from Bennison's Bakery and fresh butter from Nordic Creamery. I started to add toppings from market vendors the next summer, like tomatoes from Mick Klug Farm and Iron Creek; arugula and jalapenos from Green Acres or Growing Home; and Honey Crisp apples from Mick Klug Farm, Ellis Farm, and Hillside Farm & Orchard. I then added ham, pork sausage and bacon from Jake's Country Meat. We also have fresh eggs on the breakfast sandwich from Finn's Ranch (we also use their chicken), Five cheese garlic spread, mushrooms and Heirloom tomato salsa from River Valley and Pepperoni from Underground Meats.
"The Duke" is named after Duke's Alehouse in Crystal Lake, IL. They also buy Prairie Pure Cheese and they make the Beer Mustard I use on that sandwich.
"The Abreo" is named after Abreo in Rockford, IL, also a Prairie Pure Cheese customer, they make the Bacon Onion Jam. Recently named one of the top 5 restaurants in Illinois to eat at, outside Chicago.
Recent additions have been "The Pulled Porker" made with Jake's Country Meats pork shoulder, Pinch Spice's Sweet and Sassy seasoning and Broad Shoulders BBQ Sauce. We chop the sweetest, preferably honey crisp apples with carrots to make the slaw - cool & crunchy after cooking the pork and melting the cheese we put it on - soooo delicious and hearty. I also now have the "Blue Buffalo" which is made with Finn's Ranch Chicken which I cook with Pinch Spices Finger Lickin Chicken seasoning. I debone it and then add Coop Sauce's Barrel Hot Sauce. Hot, but really quite mild. Then we add Prairie Pure Blue Cheese to help cool it down for quite the memorable grilled cheese. Really, you should try one!
Discovering The Toppings
The best part about delivering the cheese to the chefs at restaurants in Chicago is talking with them about toppings for the grilled cheese (amongst other things). I have several restaurants that make toppings for me and then I named the sandwiches after their restaurant. Southport Grocery and Cafe makes several toppings for the grilled cheese. The "Southport" has Butterkäse cheese and their Smoked Onion Marmalade (A Good Food Award winner). They also make my Rhubarb Mustard, Cranberry Mustard & Apple Butter. I have jars of the all of the above products to buy at my market stand and storefront location, but I would definitely pay them a visit to eat and shop for these locally sourced items.
The sandwich selection varies depending on what is available from the market vendors. I also use Co-op Sauce's Poblano Mustard; Raspberry Jam from Bushel & Peck's as well as fresh Pecans from Three Sisters, just to name a few.
Our Journey
What started as a bookkeeper selling cheese at a local farmers market has blossomed into Gayle V's Best Ever Grilled Cheese - a gourmet sandwich shop supporting more than 24 local businesses and farmers.
2009: Gayle begins selling Prairie Pure Cheese at farmers' markets around Chicago.
2011: Gayle's Best Ever Grilled Cheese is born, selling Prairie Pure Cheese and the "Classic" grilled cheese at farmers' markets.
2013: With the sandwiches becoming increasingly more popular, Gayle focuses her attention on expanding the menu and selling sandwiches at markets, festivals, and small parties in the city.
2015: Gayle secures a seasonal space in the pedway of Block 37 to sell grilled cheese during the winter months when the markets aren't so busy.
2016: After the first successful winter, Gayle signs a lease to continue her stay in Block 37 pedway. Her name is trademarked to "Gayle V's Best Ever Grilled Cheese".
2020/2021: The pandemic certainly brought about some new challenges, but our Best Ever customers rallied and continued to show demand for grilled cheese. When a larger space opened up in the pedway, Gayle took advantage and moved into our current space.
"I hope you love it!"
-Gayle
