2009 King and Queen Nominations PHOTO BY LORA CARR. Click on photo to visit her site OUR KING! BILL I would like to nominate my husband, Bill Alvaro, to be crowned as the Grilled Cheese King of 2009.  I feel that he was a mouse in his past lifetime.  He puts cheese on everything.  He really doesn't cook, but if there is a recipe to make grilled cheese a different way, he is trying it out.  He is the first one to volunteer to make my 2-year-old son a grilled cheese sandwich because Joey will devour the whole sandwich in record time.   In addition, how many people leave a Grateful Dead show to look for a spot in the parking lot for people cooking grilled cheese sandwiches topped with butter and garlic?  Lastly, I met a lady in my gym who is the lunch lady at my husband's work (He is a high school teacher).  Every Friday they have grilled cheese.  That is the only day that he will not pack a lunch, and this lunch lady told me that he is the first one in line.   If that is not a love for grilled cheese, I don't know what to tell you.  However, when I told him it was grilled cheese month at the Pop-Shop, I never saw him get so excited and told me that we are going to eat at your restaurant everyday.    Hope to hear from you.    Thank you, his wife, Danielle Our Queen! TARAH I would like to nominate my fiancé Tarah to be the 2009 Grilled Cheese Queen.  Tarah is a person that is proud of her love for grilled cheese and is not afraid to let everyone know it.  She makes grilled cheese and tomato soup at least once per week for dinner.  Even when we go out to restaurants and bars she always scans the menu to see if they have grilled cheese.   If grilled cheese is not on the menu, she has no problem at all asking if the Cook will make it.  Remarkably, they always make it for her.    Our wedding is in late August 2009 and one of our hors d’oeuvres is….you guessed it mini grilled cheese wedges.  It wasn’t the primary reason we chose the location, but it always brings a smile to Tarah’s face when she tells people about the special snack that will be served.    We moved to South Jersey in October and Tarah just found out about The Pop Shop through a Google search of “South Jersey Grilled Cheese”.  Only a person that truly loves grilled cheese sandwiches does an internet search like that.  Whether chosen to be 2009 Grilled Cheese Queen or not, I know we will be frequent visitors to your great establishment. Thank you for your consideration. Mike King Nominations NOAH I would love to nominate my little brother Noah for Grilled Cheese King.   I think he really deserves to be King because all his diet consits of is Grilled Cheese and Pasta. Whenever we go to Florida all he gets is Grilled Cheese every day for lunch an just really enjoys it. Also, I really love to cook myself and he acts like my little sous chef. He loves it when I make Grilled Cheese for him. My brother and I watch the food network like everyday. So one day we were watching Throwdown with Bobby Flay and we saw The Pop Shop episode and as soon as Noah saw the restaurant and menu his mouth dropped and he is like we have to go there. I completley agreed with him because I myself am a huge fan of Grilled Cheese. When we went there we were so amazed and the food was amazing. He just loves Grilled Cheese!!!   Noah Sokaler would be an awesome King because Grilled Cheese is all he basically eats. It would be really cool if my brother won, he would be so excited! This is why I would like to nominate my little brother for Grilled Cheese King.   I just really want to do something nice for my brother     Sincerley, Zack JOSH I would like to nominate Josh Fineblum as the grilled cheese king for gilled cheese month at the pop shop.  Josh Fineblum is 33 years old and has been coming to The Pop Shop since he was able to chew.  He loves grilled cheeses especially when he can get all different kinds of them at The Pop Shop.  I am not from New Jersey, but Josh is from Cinnaminson and whenever I come in to visit him, he makes sure to take me to the Pop Shop for a nice grilled cheese and yes even the Maryland Fries that we can get there.   Josh always talks about the Pop shop and when the Pop Shop was on Throwdown with Bobby Flay, Josh made sure to let everyone know about it and to watch it over and over again.  Josh loves the Pop Shop so much!  Thank you for your consideration for Josh Fineblum as the Pop Shop Grilled Cheese King of the Month.  Thank you again.   Sincerely, Evan Golden DANIEL I'd like to nominate my son, Daniel. At three, he would eat Grilled Cheese for breakfast if I let him - but will settle for lunch, dinner or  snack before bed....He loves the Pop Shop grilled cheese & when we're in town it's his favorite. Queen Nominations   FAITH I would like to nominate myself, Faith Patane, to be the grilled cheese queen. I love the Pop Shop and all of its offerings, but grilled cheese is my favorite. Grilled cheese has been a staple in my life since I was old enough to eat solid food. I remember several happy occasions where grilled cheese has been served in my life. On Halloweens, my mother would make grilled cheese with jack and American cheese, and serve it with tomato soup. When I would stay home sick from school, that would often be my meal. I usually asked for two sandwiches, because they were so delicious that I got sad when one would end. I would try similar strategies when enjoying grilled cheese out at various diners, etc...I needed my sandwich to come with a side of fries or a soup so that I could savor the sandwich and enjoy it longer. Grilled cheese was one of the first foods that I learned how to make. I can make it in a frying pan or in the toaster oven with the setting on broil. Making it the second way results in a crunchy texture for the bread. I struggle to make good grilled cheese at home and I am disappointed when I go to a diner or another eatery and find their grilled cheese to be sub par. I used to work in Philadelphia and there was one deli that just melted cheese between two slices of bread and called it a grilled cheese. They were lacking the key ingredient of butter! Once as a child I ordered a grilled cheese from a pizzeria, another mistake. This place's version of grilled cheese was just cheese melted on a torpedo roll- again, not grilled cheese. I am a fan of the Pop Shop because you make grilled cheese properly. In fact, when bragging about your restaurant, the first thing I often tell people is that you have about 50 different kinds of grilled cheese, and that someday, I am going to have tried them all. It impresses other grilled cheese fans. I love that I can get a simple grilled cheese when I am at the Pop Shop, or that I be adventurous and try something new (like that Sunrise one, that came with the fried shrimp- YUMMY!). I eat grilled cheese probably at least twice a week. I often find myself craving it after a long day. Once, I was out to eat with a friend and his girlfriend. They started an argument with me but waited until my grilled cheese came because they knew that I wouldn't want to leave my tasty sandwich behind. It was true. I called them on it and they admitted it and I ate my sandwich while they said their piece. I love eating it with tomato soup. I think there's no better way than to dunk the crusty ends of bread into the soup and enjoy. I love that the Pop Shop allows me that option. If you choose me as the Grilled Cheese Queen, I will not let you know. I will continue to eat my favorite food often, and continue to sing its praises. I will continue to spread the good word about your delicious grilled cheese varieties. I know that there is a flavor for everyone! I have attached a photo of myself, showcasing myself in a silly way, because I am a silly person. - Faith Patane ANDREA My nephew and nieces live in far away Japan. Once while visiting them I was getting ready to prepare lunch. I asked them if they wanted grilled cheese. They looked at me like I had ten heads. I whipped up some sandwiches and they ate them with glee. The next day my nephews friend came over and requested in her posh little voice, "May I have a roasty toasty cheese?" To which I looked at her like she had ten heads. My nephew piped up and said ,"You know Auntie those roasty cheese things you made yesterday....roasty toasty". Till this day they call grilled cheese "roasty toasty" and their mother can try, but they are never as good as auntie's! Yours truly, Andrea "Auntie" Thies p.s. I once also ordered a grilled cheese and creme brulee from room service ...which could easily be what i would order as my last meal! NATALIA I would like to nominate my friend Natalia as the grilled cheese queen. She is 6 months pregnant and can not get enough grilled cheese! I can't tell you how excited she was to learn about Pop's incredible grilled cheese menu. She forwarded it to the rest of us in the department and talked about it for weeks. I mentioned to her today that I am planning on bringing my kids to Pops for breakfast tomorrow and she is so upset that that she cannot go tomorrow, because she has to take care of her car. I can assure you she will be back to Pops many, many time soon! Please consider her for your grilled cheese queen! Nicole Gonzalez CHRISTINA My good friend Christina DiDonato would make the ultimate 2009 Grilled Cheese Queen.   First, she loves cheese.  Loves everything about it.  Smell, taste and texture.  That's why we all go to the Pop Shop.  She loves the variety of grilled cheese sandwiches.  Her new favorite is the Edison. This past Saturday she had one followed by ice cream with Gummy Bears as a topping (how cheezy!).  She says the bread is what makes your sandwiches so unique.  According to Kiki (as she is nicknamed), the wrong bread can ruin your grilled cheese experience.    At home, a grilled cheese sandwich is her favorite meal.  She eats them for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  I believe cheddar to be her cheese of choice.  When visiting a friend at college last week, she dined on a grilled cheese sandwich at the cafeteria at Rider University.   And to be honest, Kiki is a bit lactose intolerant.  But she doesn't care.  Nothing makes her happier than a grilled cheese sandwich followed by some ice cream.  According to Kiki, all great artists suffer for their work.   Second, she is the queen of cheese.  She loves cheezy movies (Enchanted and all Disney films maker her happy) and music (Michael Buble)..  If it is sentimental, she loves it.   Third, she looks great in a crown.  I think her head was made for it.  :)   I hope you consider my good friend Christina for this honor.  She is a huge fan of the Pop Shop and the grilled cheese sandwich selection.  This would make her year to win this honor.   Gina Donio ARIELLE I nominate my daughter, Ryan Arielle Bates as the Grilled Cheese Queen. Sincerely, Michele Wells-Bates