Just wanted to mark the start of summer with my traditional exhortation: grill haloumi and eat it.

If you want a bit more detail, haloumi is a firm, salty cheese from Cyprus made from goat and sheep's milk, with a texture like a very dense mozzarella. Unlike mozz, however, haloumi has the singular virtue of not melting under high heat. Instead, like other proteins, haloumi will acquire a nicely browned crispness, which is great in a pan but outstanding when cooked over an open flame.

Inside each of us is a grilled-cheese-loving kid lost in a land of worldly spin on such pedestrian cravings. In case you have been living in a cave for the past ten years, Americans have a reputation for unhealthy eating and obesity associated with our comfort and fast foods, compared to those foods enjoyed for centuries by our healthier brothers and sisters nestled alongside the Mediterranean Sea. But who can deny the not-only want, but NEED for a grilled cheese every so often? I can’t, and today’s lunch was no exception as I got my “old world” on. Fueled by a trip to Trader Joes, I have unearthed a most delicious cheese and created an unforgettable sandwich: Mediterranean-Inspired Grilled Asiago.