Murray’s Cheese is hosting its first-ever grilled cheese stretch contest

In terms of life's simple pleasures, is there anything better than a gorgeously gooey grilled cheese? All that's needed is bread, cheese, butter and a heat source to make one of the greatest comfort food dishes around, but the nostalgic favorite is made even more sublime when you get one of those satisfying, super-long cheese pulls that happens when you separate your sandwich halves.

And the fromage fiends over at Murray's Cheese know exactly what we’re talking about: The artisan cheese retailer is hosting its first-ever Grilled Cheese Stretch Contest to celebrate National Grilled Cheese Day on Friday, April 12. 

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Taking place outside of Murray's Greenwich Village location (254 Bleecker St), the cheese-pulling competition will test how far teams of two can stretch their classic melt the longest before the cheese breaks. (Yes, they will be pulling out the measuring tape for this one.) Murray's will supply the sandwiches and make the melts exactly the same for each participating team, so it all will come down to precision, patience and pull skills. 

The winning duo will take home two $100 Murray's Cheese gift cards to use for all of your cheesy needs, whether you want to load up on your favorite wheels and wedges, or sink your teeth into one of the shop's great sandwiches. (More on that in a minute.)

So, how to enter? Sign up here for the chance to compete in the Grilled Cheese Stretch Contest—five names will be drawn at the Bleecker Street shop on April 12 at 3:30pm before the competition kicks off at 4pm. Each name will get to choose a partner, for five participating teams in total. 

And even if you don't get the chance to prove your cheese-pulling prowess, you can still join in the fun with a special melt launched just for competition day. Available at the Greenwich Village and LIC locations on April 12, the Mac & Cheese Melt ($10) turns Murray's beloved macaroni and cheese into a handheld sammie that you can enjoy while cheering on the cheese-stretching competitors. Check out the sandwich below: