Between the Bread

Americans tend to give sandwiches names: the Reuben, the beef on weck, you we name it. Naming sandwiches is something that our country excels at unlike any other, but the French have one notable exception: the croque monsieur and its mate, the croque madame. The croque monsieur, which sounds slightly less glamorous translated as "crispy mister," (ha!) is an iconic French dish that begins as a humble ham and cheese sandwich. What makes it très magnifique is the combination of bechamel sauce with already decadent gruyere cheese. The white bread is then topped with cheese that's browned in the oven and, in the case of the croque madame, it's finished with an egg.

According to chef Daniel Boulud, the croque monsieur was invented in 1910 at a café on Paris’s Boulevard des Capucines, right around the time the middle class was embracing cafe culture and, in turn, sandwiches. And thank goodness they did. I have had delicious croque monsieurs, but I've actually never ordered one in France. How about you?

I admit, I love eating at The Rotunda, the restaurant at Neiman Marcus in San Francisco. My mom and I often go there when she visits, lunching alongside very posh people on very posh sandwiches. I spend most of the meal wondering: who are all these people and how do they have so much money? Before the meal, you get the traditional out-of-this-world popovers with strawberry butter. That's a lot of bread if you order a sandwich, but I manage. Last time, I had a bit of a hangover, and the croque madame was the perfect cure with its gruyère cheese, béchamel, fried egg, and asparagus I've also ordered the $28 lobster club. Find out if it's worth the money.