Kate Krader ( @kkrader on Twitter ) is Food & Wine's restaurant editor. When she tells us where to find our culinary heart's desire, we listen up. Let’s hope you didn’t miss that key April deadline. No, not Tax Day. I’m talking about April 12, National Grilled Cheese Day . If that illustrious date did pass you by, not to worry: Unlike failure to file your taxes, there are no financial penalties. Plus April is National Grilled Cheese Month, so there’s still plenty of time to celebrate. I’m pretty much of a grilled cheese purist: I just need some bread, good melting cheese and plenty of butter. But there are lots of professionals out there who think much bigger than me. Here are some of the country’s more remarkable grilled cheese sandwiches. Melt Bar & Grilled – Cleveland, Ohio area locations You’ve got to love a place that knows and respects its local specialties. Exhibit A: Melt’s Parmageddon, a sandwich stuffed with two potato and cheese pierogi, Napa vodka kraut, grilled onions and sharp cheddar. Fans of The Big Lebowski will recognize The Dude Abides: homemade meatballs, fried mozzarella cheese sticks, rich marinara and provolone. Devotees of another classic movie might order The Godfather, which includes three-cheese lasagna made with fresh fennel-oregano pasta sheets, spicy red sauce and provolone, plus garlic-spiked bread. April’s sandwich special is the Corny Beast. Here’s how they describe it: ”Our wicked version of the almighty corndog! An ultra jumbo all beef dog char-grilled then stuffed inside the sandwich with double American cheese. Slathered with our special cornbread batter then deep fried. The result is pure carnival goodness!” As an added bonus, if you get a tattoo of one of Melt’s three logos , you get 25 percent off for life. Outerlands – San Francisco, California This is not one of those 101-ways-with-grilled-cheese spots. You won’t find grilled cheeses on their dessert menu, or even at dinner. But at lunch they do offer a glorious grilled cheese made on superthick house-made bread, brushed with garlic oil (smart!) and crisped up in a hot cast-iron skillet. Plus it’s only $5. It’s so good, it has a spot on SF Weekly’s list of San Francisco's 10 Best Sandwiches .  Beecher's Handmade Cheese – Seattle, Washington and New York City How smart is it to specialize in grilled cheeses at an artisanal cheese shop? At the cafés at both their original store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market and their newer Manhattan outpost, Beecher’s serves a selection of grilled cheeses that vary according to the location. In Seattle, you’ll find the Dungeness Crab & Flagship sandwich (“flagship” references their signature cheese, a nutty gruyère-cheddar hybrid). New York City has a daily changing Big Deal sandwich – for instance, a Cuban-esque grilled cheese. Soon you’ll be able to take Beecher’s grilled cheeses to other states; they’re opening a kiosk at Sea-Tac Airport in Seattle this summer. Pinewood Café – Houston, Texas The grilled cheese possibilities are practically limitless at Pinewood Café, right near the Houston Zoo in Hermann Park. The build-your-own grilled cheese bar has 12 kinds of cheese (from fontina to Velveeta), eight breads (including jalapeno cheddar if you want to up the cheese quotient in your sandwich), plus six proteins (bacon!) and 13 veggies, a category that ranges from cool items like pico de gallo and pickles to carrots, which I don’t plan on putting on a grilled cheese any time soon. Butcher & Bee – Charleston, South Carolina Their menu changes daily: They post photos of their chalkboard on their Facebook page for fans to preview. Since their October 2011 opening, one of B&B’s periodic specials is the regionally appropriate grilled cheese with pickled okra, candied pecans and pimento cheese. They also spread pimento cheese and honey on their regularly appearing ham and cheese. Rye – Louisville, Kentucky Rye owner Michael Trager-Kusman and chef William Tyler Morris met while working at The Breslin in New York City (where they happen to serve one of my all-time favorite melted cheese sammies, the Oven-Baked Three Cheese sandwich). At Rye, look for another monumental grilled cheese, served with a sweet, tangy chile onion marmalade that takes it over the top. More from Food & Wine : Best Grilled Cheese in the U.S. Best Burgers in the U.S. Best Steak in the U.S. Best Bars in America Spring Recipes More grilled cheese goodness: Best wines for grilled cheese A cheesy summer meltdown Five tips for a not-so traditional grilled cheese Grilled cheese, please! Grilled cheese and…grape jelly?

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All hail the grilled cheese nation

Faced with little public understanding of its modern mission, the U.S. Navy is reaching back 200 years to the War of 1812 in the hopes of bolstering its standing with the American people. This week it launches an ambitious, three-year commemoration to mark the bicentennial of the often overlooked war. Beginning Tuesday in New Orleans, and continuing through the summer in New York, Norfolk, Baltimore and Boston, tall ships and warships from around the world will parade through American ports. Read full article > >

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Navy turns to War of 1812 for help

The two biggest teachers’ unions, the NUT and NASUWT, vote for strikes which could hit schools across the UK this summer and autumn.

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Teaching unions back more strikes

Ryan Seacrest will join NBC’s primetime coverage of the Summer Olympics in London, the TV industry hot-shot announced on that NBC morning infotainment show Wednesday morning. He will not – repeat, not –replace Matt Lauer on “Today” show, he told Matt, who asked him directly, “What kind of conversations have you had with NBC about joining ‘Today’ show?” Read full article > >

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Ryan Seacrest to join NBC’s primetime coverage of summer Olympics from London

Roger Federer says he “cares dearly” about this summer’s Olympic tennis at Wimbledon and feels “massive pressure” to win.

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Federer ‘super excited’ by Games

5@5 is a daily, food-related list from chefs, writers, political pundits, musicians, actors, and all manner of opinionated people from around the globe. It'd be a tragedy for you not to try the wines of Greece, that is if Andrea Englisis has a say in it. Englisis is co-owner of Athenee Importers , the largest importer and distributor of wine, spirits and beer from Greece and Cyprus in the United States. She also holds the Diploma in Wine and Spirits (DWS). Five Greek Wine Alternatives: Andrea Englisis 1. If you like Albariño, try Assyrtiko (ah-SEER-tee-ko) “Assyrtiko is a mineral driven grape with honeysuckle, mineral and citrus aromas and crisp acidity. Predominately grown on and originally from the crescent-shaped volcanic island of Santorini. Interestingly, Santorini is one of the most inhospitable places to grow grapes; the soil is virtually nutrient-free, rainfall is almost nonexistent and the hot winds throughout the summer can blow away anything not tethered to the ground. For all these reasons, all vineyard work including harvesting is done by hand.” Pairings: Seafood, shellfish and sushi Brands to look for: GAI'A (yeai-ah) and Argyros (ar-yee-ros) 2. If you like Pinot Gris or crisp floral whites, try a Moschofilero (mo-sko-FEE-le-ro) “It is a deep pink-skinned grape that makes very aromatic whites and rosés. The grape has beautiful floral notes and a lingering minerality. It is the only grape allowed in the region of Mantinia in the Peloponnese, which is surrounded by mountains, offering a cool climate and longer ripening periods.” Pairings: Shrimp scampi, fish tacos and Asian cuisine Brands to look for: USDA organic Domaine Spiropoulos 3. If you like southern Italian reds or Merlot, try Agiorgitiko (ai-your-YEE-tee-ko) “This variety produces a range of different wines, light rosés up to age-worthy reds. They are medium-bodied wines with softer tannins, making them very food friendly and perfect for summer. Grown in the Peloponnese, it is the principal grape of the Nemea region, and is Greece's most planted red grape variety.” Pairings: The rosés and lighter reds match well with a grilled meats and barbecue, or chilled for a picnic. Brands to look for: GAI'A and Domaine Spiropoulos 4. If you like Nebbiolo or northern Italian reds, try Xinomavro (ksee-NO-mav-ro) “The grape is intense, full-bodied, with hints of ripe black fruit and a lot of tannin. It also has a good acidity level, actually the name literally means 'acid black.' Xinomavro is found in the Naoussa and Amyndeon appellation zones in northern Greece. They are grown at altitudes ranging from 500 to 1,300 feet.” Pairings: Pasta Bolognese, venison, steak and other richly flavored dishes Brands to look for: 100% biodynamic Thymiopoulos Vineyards 5. If you like dessert wines, try a Muscat from Samos “The Muscat grape is a fairly popular around the Mediterranean; however, only in Samos does it produce luscious wines. The notes that prevail are fruity and floral with a pure aroma of grape. Muscat blanc à petits grains is the only grape that grows on the verdant island of Samos in the eastern Aegean Sea. The vineyards rest on terraced perches and harvest is done entirely by hand. Comparable to French Muscat appellations like Beaumes-de-Venise, these wines are half the price.” Pairings: Known as the ultimate dessert wine, they also pair extremely well with rich cheeses and nuts for a Greek happy hour Brands to look for : UWC of Samos Is there someone you'd like to see in the hot seat? Let us know in the comments below and if we agree, we'll do our best to chase 'em down.

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5@5 – Get to know Greek grapes

The technology company said it would use some of its $100 billion in cash reserves to pay a quarterly dividend of $2.65 a share beginning this summer.

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Apple to Use Cash for Stock Dividend and Buyback

The 50-year-old Olney woman stood up in court Thursday, 20 feet from the man prosecutors called the most notorious rapist Montgomery County has ever seen. For 32 years, she said, close friends have known to not come up behind her. She described herself as easily intimidated and nervous — a far cry from the 18-year-old walking home from work in the summer of 1980. That’s when the rapist grabbed her from behind, put a gun to her head and forced her into a darkened side yard. Read full article > >

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‘Aspen Hill Rapist’ Buzbee sentenced to 3 life terms

More than 2,000 armed forces reservists are being called up to boost security for this summer’s London Olympics, the government announces.

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Reservists called up for Olympics

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook on Thursday revealed a new version of its operating system for the electronics maker’s laptop and desktop computers. Cook said the product, dubbed Mountain Lion, will be made available to developers Thursday with a wider release to consumers slated for this summer. Read full article > >

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Apple’s Mountain Lion operating system is a move toward technological convergence

After 23 funding extensions and a two-week partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration in the summer, President Obama signed into law Tuesday a long-term funding bill for the nation’s aviation system. Read full article > >

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Obama signs FAA bill set to usher in progress on new air traffic control system

LAS VEGAS — After a likely second-place finish in the Nevada caucuses Saturday, former House speaker Newt Gingrich sought to dispel the idea that he might drop out of the Republican presidential nomination any time soon, promising a hotel ballroom filled with reporters that he will fight on to the convention in the summer. Read full article > >

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Gingrich vows to fight on to the convention

For years — well, starting in 2005, anyway — Apple released its latest iPhone during the summer. Then, the company bucked that trend with the October release of the iPhone 4S. The question of whether Apple would stick with this new release schedule or return the old schedule has been the subject of furious speculation. Read full article > >

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Report: iPhone 5 coming this summer

In retrospect, the July 2002 news release announcing the opening of “ Bon Appetit! Julia Child’s Kitchen at the Smithsonian ” wasn’t overly optimistic. The National Museum of American History scheduled the exhibit to run only through February 2004, a mere 18 months. Nearly a decade later, the Smithsonian will begin to dismantle Child’s kitchen after the last visitor leaves the museum on Sunday, Jan. 8. Not to worry, though: The kitchen — and its 1,200-plus objects — will return this summer as part of a larger exhibit that will put Child’s favorite room in its proper context. Read full article > >

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‘Julia Child’s Kitchen’ to close temporarily on Sunday

Olympic organisers admit to selling too many tickets for this summer’s synchronised swimming at London 2012.

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Olympic swimming tickets oversold