Café Counter · Grilled Sandwich

Croque Monsieur

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One of the earliest known recipes for it turned up in an 1891 sports magazine, sandwiched between articles that had nothing to do with food.

A croque monsieur is grilled ham and Gruyère cheese between slices of bread, topped with more cheese and browned until crisp — sold hot from café counters and takeaway windows across France. Add a fried egg on top and it becomes a croque madame.

Why it's made this way: It reads like fast café food because it is: the 1891 description has it fried quickly in a pan, a practical dish built for a lunch counter rather than a formal kitchen.