Monte Cristo sandwich
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2008) |
A Monte Cristo is a fried ham and/or turkey sandwich.[1]
The sandwich can differ regionally. Traditionally it is dipped in its entirety in batter and deep fried. In some regions of the United States it is served grilled, and in some regions it is served as an open sandwich with just the bread battered.[citation needed] It can also be served as an open sandwich using french toast as a base, with the ham, turkey and cheese piled high and then heated slightly under a broiler.
The sandwich is often served with fresh fruit or with clotted cream on the side. It is sometimes served with fruit preserves, powdered sugar, maple syrup, or sweet mustard sauce.
Contents |
[edit] Origins
The Monte Cristo is a variation of the French croque-monsieur. In the 1930s–1960s, American cookbooks had recipes for this sandwich under such names as French Sandwich, Toasted Ham Sandwich, and French Toasted Cheese Sandwich.[2]
One extremely fanciful origin story is that the first Monte Cristo was prepared as a lunch speciality by the mother of The Count of Monte Cristo.[3] This is patently ridiculous on several grounds: the sandwich first appeared many, many years after the book was published and, of course, the Count of Monte Cristo and his mother were fictional characters.
The sandwich was popular in Southern California by the 1950's. It has been served at Disneyland's Blue Bayou and Tahitian Terrace restaurants in New Orleans Square since 1966, which may have further popularized the dish.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Stall, Sam; Lou Harry and Julia Spalding (2004). "The Monte Cristo Sandwich". The Encyclopedia Of Guilty Pleasures: 1,001 Thing You Hate To Love. Philadelphia: Quirk Books. p. 179. ISBN 1-931686-54-8. OCLC 57123463.[unreliable source?]
- ^ Stradley, Linda. "History of Monte Cristo Sandwich". What's Cooking America. http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Sandwiches/MonteCristoSandwich.htm. Retrieved on 2009-01-19.
- ^ The Dictionary of French Cuisine (1938)
