Every year, the culinary tourism website TasteAtlas unveils its various lists and Top 100s, sifting through the world’s gastronomy and specialities. And this January, the spotlight is on the best sandwich recipes. And among all the winners, a typically French dish from the French capital has made its way into the selection.
This Parisian sandwich is among the best in the world
Two slices of sandwich bread, a little cooked ham, Emmental or Comté cheese and a dollop of béchamel sauce: you’ve obviously recognized the inimitable croque-monsieur! The most emblematic of Parisian dishes is in the spotlight once again, as it features in TasteAtlas’ top 100 sandwiches in the world. With its simplistic yet delicious recipe, it takes pride of place in this ranking, which is dominated by the Lebanese shawarma, the Vietnamese bahn mi and the Turkish döner tombik.
While the origins of the croque-monsieur vary from one source to another, the most plausible is that it originated in working-class Paris at the beginning of the 20th century. Indeed, legend has it that the dish was invented by mistake by a worker who, having left his sandwich too close to a radiator, found it piping hot with melted cheese. One thing led to another, and the recipe spread from the Parisian underworld to bistro tables. So popular, in fact, that even Marcel Proust quoted it in one of his novels!
Today, croque-monsieur (sometimes spiced up to croque-madame) is one of the most popular dishes of its kind, and a hit with young and old alike. Simple to make but devilishly effective, it’s always mentioned when talking about comfort food!