Croque Madame, que c'est délicieux !

Call me a Francophile.  Go ahead, I won’t even give you a dirty look.  The one characterized by my solitary arched eyebrow, pursed lips, and ever-so-slightly tilted head that subtly conveys I am destroying you with my thoughts?  Yep, you know the one.

I LOVE the French.  I love their attitude, their habits, their language, their cities.  Mostly, I just love a culture that revolves around the sensual gratification derived from food and drink.  I see myself in it.  When I am ambling through the misty cobblestone backstreets of Paris (more daydream than actual occurrence), I can visualize myself a life in this place.  My wet laundry would look at home, drying on the line outside of that random apartment window...

For me, nothing screams Paris louder to my taste buds than a Croque Madame (or her faithful counterpart, the Croque Monsieur).  It has been appearing on Parisian cafe menus since the early 1900’s and takes a variety of forms and personalities.  It is high-class street food and an experience not to be missed, if it's done right!  Most recipes found online call for a fried egg plopped right on top of the sandwich.  I prefer this method, which incorporates the egg into the sandwich and makes it possible to still eat it sans knife and fork.  I like mine with turkey and Muenster cheese on artichoke & garlic sourdough.  It’s love at first crunch.

Croque Madame

2 slices french bread of your liking

High quality butter

Generous slathering of creole mustard (trust me)

Slice peppered turkey breast

Slice Gruyere or Muenster cheese (or more!)

1 Egg

1. Slather both sides of the bread with butter.  
2. Spread a generous layer of mustard onto the buttered sides of each slice of bread.  
3. Put turkey and cheese on the bottom slice, place top slice on the sandwich.  
4. Grill over medium heat in a cast iron pan for 4 minutes.  Turn and grill other side for 4 minutes.  Cut a hole 1 1/2 inches in diameter in the top slice of bread.  Crack the egg into the hole, allowing whites to run down the sides and over the bread.  
5. Put under a broiler for 5 minutes.  Monitor this step carefully, as the bread will take advantage of every opportunity to burst into flames.  Don’t be scared.  I think the singed edges add to the tastiness and “croque” of this sandwich, but if you don’t care for it, you may consider covering the non-eggy parts of the bread with a little foil, or running the egg white all over the top slice with a basting brush.  Broil until the egg whites are opaque and the yolk is more firm.  Cut in half, through the yolk.
6. Serve with chilled champagne.  Bon Appetit, mon ami!

Suggested Playlist...wine and friends aside, what goes better with food than music?

• Les Amants D'Un Jour- Edith Piaf
• La mer- Charles Trenet
• A bicyclette- Andre Bourvil
• Grain d'ananar- Leo Ferre
• C'est Si Bon- Yves Montand
• Flambee Montalbanese- Madelaine Peyroux