Croque-monsieur
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A croque-monsieur is a hot ham and cheese (typically gruyère) grilled (broiled) sandwich. Some variations are dipped in beaten egg, then pan-fried in butter. It originated in France as a fast-food snack served in cafés and bars. More elaborate versions come coated in a Mornay or Béchamel sauce.
The name is based on the verb croquer ("to crunch" or "to bite hungrily") and the word monsieur ("mister")—the reason behind the combination of the two words is unclear—and is colloquially shortened to croque. Its first recorded appearance on a Parisian café menu was in 1910.[1] Its earliest published use has been traced back to volume 2 of Proust's À la recherche du temps perdu (1918).[2]
[edit] Variations
A croque-monsieur served with a fried egg on top is known as a croque-madame (or in parts of Normandy a croque-cheval). The "French Fare" episode of "Paula's Home Cooking" suggested that the name croque-madame is motivated by the fact that the fried egg placed atop the sandwich resembles a woman's breast. According to the Petit Robert dictionary, the name dates to around 1960. The name croque-mademoiselle is associated with many different sandwiches, from diet recipes to desserts.[3]
Versions of the sandwich with substitutions or additional ingredients are given names modelled on the original croque-monsieur, for example:
- croque provençal (with tomato)
- croque auvergnat (with bleu d'Auvergne cheese)
- croque norvégien (with smoked salmon instead of ham)
- croque pizza (with tomato sauce)
- croque tartiflette (with sliced potatoes)
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[edit] References
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