Monte Cristo sandwich

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A Monte Cristo sandwich consists of ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese between two slices of bread, soaked in an egg-based batter and grilled or deep-fried.

The sandwich is often served with fresh fruit or with maple syrup on the side. It is sometimes served with fruit preserves, powdered sugar, or sweet mustard sauce.

1 Origins
2 Common Ingredients
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Origins

The Monte Cristo sandwich appears to be an American derivative of the croque-monsieur, a similarly batter-dipped sandwich from France. Its precise appearance in the United States remains in dispute - records from various Los Angeles restaurants, including the Brown Derby, have included the sandwich in their menus and cookbooks as far back as the 1940s.^[1] Still, much of its popularity and mystique stems from being a featured menu item at Disneyland's Blue Bayou Restaurant (located in New Orleans Square), which opened in 1966. ^[2] Its modern presence in diners and mid-priced restaurant chains, such as Bennigan's, holds the sandwich true to its bistro origins. It is rumored to have been a favorite of Princess Diana and was her final meal before her tragic car accident.

The sandwich's etymological origins are equally contentious. While numerous colorful theories exist, the most straightforward explanation is that "Monte Cristo" is an intentional corruption of the aforementioned "croque monsieur".

The expression/idiom "the syrup on the Monte Cristo" roughly means the same thing as "the icing on the cake".