Saturday's used to be house cleaning days in my younger years.
This would be the most annoying day and the best day at the same time in the week.
My mum would make sure that I and my siblings would be up early mornings to attack the day.
Yet, her plans rarely worked out and I must say I was very stubborn and cleaning the house was something I hated, but I was always looking forward to having lunch after what seemed to be the most irritating work ever.
During the warmer summer times, my mum would make Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame.
Both are french style toasted sandwiches, stuffed with fresh ham slices and melting the cheese.
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The Croque Monsieur means mister crunch in English and Croque Madame is the crunchy lady.
Fresh white bread slices are usually used but I have seen places that served it with wholewheat bread slices.
The difference between the Mister and the lady is just a fried or poached egg.
Normally both are decorated with some bechamel sauce on top but my mum would leave that out so to save time.
I pretty much follow the same rules and I even add some dried marjoram or oregano inside.
You see, cleaning days were the most stressful days in the week for my mother and she had to handle us, naughty kids who didn't want to learn cleanliness and discipline, so she would prepare Croque Monsieur mostly in a jiffy because time was precious.
I loved my Croque Monsieur with a green lettuce salad and vinaigrette at the side.
I would devour 3 of those in less than 15 minutes.
My mum had a toaster from the 70s which stopped functioning a few years ago.
That toaster was making the Croque monsieur toast nice crispy on the outside and super soft on the inside.
Delicious Emmental cheese would press through the gaps, making the meal all the more exciting of course.
Today, nothing much has changed and I am still an avid Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame eater.
I have 3 for lunch or dinner with a light salad as a side or one as a snack in between.
Usually, I don't make them for breakfast but you could do that too.
My husband likes them as well but he is not that crazy about them except if I get a chance to purchase Emmental in Goa.
The right choice of cheese makes it all the more interesting.
Simple but oh so powerful!
I am not the only one who feels the same way.
We have Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame in the pastry shop/cafe.
During the season, they go like hot cakes.
Especially french folks of course love and value their Croque Monsieur form their childhoods, so it is not surprising when you see somebody walking around in the neighborhood with a Croque Monsieur between his/her fingers.
During the season, they go like hotcakes.
Especially french folks of course love and value their Croque Monsieur from their childhoods, so it is not surprising when you see somebody walking around in the neighborhood with a Croque Monsieur between his/her fingers.
Back in France, I remember seeing other Croque variations.
I recall a place in Auvergne (central France) selling a Croque Mademoiselle (Crunchy Miss) and I did see a few places who ignored the Bechamel sauce topping rule.
Another one near a lake somewhere in the Bretagne (West french coast) had a sausage instead of an egg on their Croque Madame.
I don't think so anybody takes the names too seriously since it's rather a newer food invention from the 60s.
The Concept is to have a quick bite with minimal ingredients which satisfies the typical European taste preferences.
Have fun and take a bit of a Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame!
Would you prefer a Croque Monsieur or Croque Madame for breakfast, lunch/dinner or as a snack?
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📖 Recipe
Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame
Ingredients
For the Croque Monsieur
- 2 Bread slices
- soft Butter
- 2 emmental Cheese slices
- 1 big Ham slice or 2 small
- dried marjoram or oregano optional
For the Croque Madame
- Add one egg + 1 tablespoon Butter or oil to the above ingredient list
Instructions
- Preheat your Toaster press.
- Spread some butter evenly on the inner bread slice sides.
- Top one bread slice with the cheese and ham slices.
- Sprinkle some marjoram or oregano. (optional)
- Close the sandwich with the other buttered bread slice.
- Place into the Toaster press and close the toaster slightly pressing down the device cover. Toast for about 5 minutes or until crunchy on the outside.
- For the Croque Madame repeat the same process until you have a ready to eat Croque Monsieur.
- Add some oil to a frying pan and fry your Egg soft.
- Place the egg on top of the Croque Monsieur and it turns into a Croque Madame.
- Serve warm with a green lettuce salad at the side.
Used to dislike cleaning up when young, and can't believe I am a freak now. Well time changes everything.
These sandwiches are so comforting. The first time I had croque madame was in a small place when I was visiting Europe. Didn't like it must then, but I have to have it atleast weekly once now..
Btw...not sure why I am not receiving your blog updates..being missing it for a while..gotto check it out. Thanks for the groups adds..xoxo
Haha yeah I feel the same way but I still don't like it but on the other hand living in a mess is worse.
How strange I will see what's going on with the delivery system. Did you subscribe to the feed or email system?
There was a time when the army took over in Sierra Leone where we had an enforced cleaning saturday. Everyone had to stay in and clean. We had never had such a clean country in the history of West Africa. Seriously.
Wow I can't imagine what that must have been like. Why did the army care so much for that?
Hi Helene,
What a coincidence - I just had an incredible croque monsieur the other day (most of the time the ones I have are very below par!) and it actually inspired me to make one and post about it. I didn't post it yet, but it's going to be one of my last posts from France I think. It's interesting to see the differences people employ in making them, while still maintaining, at their heart, that oh-so-delicious core concept!
Now that's a great dish to say fare well to france Charles. Can't wait to see your special croque monsieur! 😀
Oh my it has been WAY too long, how are you! Anything with eggs has my attention! My Grandma liked cleaning on the weekend, which always bummed me out LOL:-) You pics make me want one now! Hugs, Terra
Yeah where have you been all this time Terra?! 😀 looks like we all had the same childhood lol
OMG!
Superb sandwich! Love it!
This looks absolutely heavenly! I am crazy about a croque madam. Yuuuuuuuum.
We grew up having Saturday as the designated chore day! I could clean all day long if rewarded with a delicious croque monsieur or madame. Yum!!
Looks like others went through the same thing with saturday as a cleaning day ^.^
Did you grow up in my house? Saturday was chore time in my house as well. Mama made a lot of grilled cheese sandwiches with ham, but we never called them Croque Monsieur or Madame. 🙂 I haven't had one in years and now I'm craving one. Bought a smoked ham today so I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow. Thanks!
LOL I have noticed that we have lots in common Mj. 😉 I feel like having one (or 5?!) now. 😀
Cleaning Saturdays... As if I were reading about my own childhood (I was also very stubborn and my mum's good resolutions rarely worked!). Nowadays I make sure I nevr clean anything on Saturday (I disliked this idea so much it spoiled my pleasure of Saturday for a long time).
I love Croque Monsieur and of course Croque Madame. Yours look so delicious! Luckily I don't own the toaster press, otherwise I'd prepare it several times a week! (Not the healthiest nutrition plan 😉 ).
LOL you know that is why I have split the cleaning jobs on different days in the week. I feel it's easier to turn the annoying job into smaller chunks. Ha! I feel the same way about the toaster press. In the season I go to the shop to get one, so tricking myself didn't work out 😉
The first and only time I ever had these were in Austria and I loved them. I have no idea why I never had them again. Now I have no excuse!
In Austria? Wow, now that's a coincidence . 😉
What quaint sandwiches....loved reading about them...incidentally my husband's favourite sandwich is ham and cheese, I must show him your post 🙂
It's hard to resist them. Ham and cheese is the best combination ever 🙂
What fun names for a sandwich! They look so delicious!
Kids and grown ups alike love them. Thank you!
We try to do a bit of cleaning on the weekends as well...and a croque monsieur or madame afterwards sounds like the perfect reward!
It definitely helps if you know your lunch will be a treat after a house cleaning session
My French grandmother would make these for us when we were kids and she always had the bechamel on top and it was lightly browned in the oven. When I got to Paris for the first time ever I sat at a cafe on the Champs Elysées and ordered a Croque Madame in honor of my grandmother. Then I went to Notre Dame and lit a candle for her. Thanks for the memories. 🙂
Oh Maureen that's such a wonderful memory of your grandmother. My grandmother would make the croque monsieur for us but without the bechamel because she would make for all the grandchildren at the time which was 20+ and by the time one was toasted a little hand would pick it up. ^.^
J'adore Croque Madame! Et je déteste faire le ménage aussi.
Lovely post, Helene. Thank you for your info about all the variations in different regions =) So interesting!
=D Your french is perfect Kim and you write way better then I do. 😉
Thanks Helene for your informative post on Croque Monsieur or Croque Madame. I have not had either, I don't think. Sounds delicious though : )
Btw, pinterest is not working on these images.....will try again tomorrow.
Minnie did you try the Pinterest button under the post?
I still don't like cleaning, hahaha! But I would not mind this delightful sandwich...I love the name, so quaint!
I love this story and the recipe. I also enjoyed learning something new...Monsieur vs. Madame!
Ooh - I wouldn't mind spending my morning cleaning if I could have a sandwich like this 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
What a great sandwich and I like the option with egg. 🙂
I love these! We sometimes have lunch at a restaurant that does a great Croque Madame. They use a Mornay sauce instead of Bechamel, which is a nice touch. One of my favorite sandwiches ever! Good stuff - thanks.
oh yes will be great with hot latte.