The Single Difference Between A Croque Monsieur And Croque Madame Sandwiches

Subtle similarities of the croque monsieur and croque madame

The exact origins of the croque monsieur are somewhat disputed, but it is widely thought to have been created by Michel Lunarca at the Le Bel Age café in Paris. As its popularity grew, the croque madame variant also became trendy. You can think of both as a more gourmet version of a grilled cheese or ham and cheese sandwich. The croque monsieur, which roughly translates to "crunchy mister," consists of ham and either Gruyère or Emmental cheese nestled between two slices of white bread. For added creaminess, you can top the sandwich with béchamel, a rich white sauce made from butter, flour, and milk, in addition to dipping it in egg.

The croque madame, whose name is essentially the feminine counterpart of the croque monsieur, typically includes béchamel and is topped with a fried egg rather than being dipped in it. The sandwich earned the name "croque madame" partly because the egg is intended to symbolize a woman's hat. While the flavors of the two sandwiches are quite similar, the béchamel in the croque madame gives it a slightly different texture compared to the egg-dipped croque monsieur, as it does not achieve the same crispiness.