Monte Cristo
● United StatesThe Monte Cristo descends from the French croque monsieur, but its American identity, battered, fried, and dusted with powdered sugar, was shaped in mid-20th century California. The sandwich appeared in American cookbooks under the names French Sandwich and French Toasted Cheese Sandwich as early as the 1930s. The name Monte Cristo seems to have emerged in Southern California in the 1950s, possibly inspired by the Alexandre Dumas novel. It became most famous through Disneyland's Blue Bayou Restaurant and the Tahitian Terrace, which began serving deep-fried Monte Cristos in the 1960s. Disney's version, quartered, deep-fried, and dusted with powdered sugar, set the template for how Americans came to picture the sandwich. From there it spread through hotel chains and casual restaurants, becoming a brunch menu fixture by the 1980s. Whether griddled or deep-fried, the defining move is the egg batter and the contrast between savory ham and the sweet finish.
The Monte Cristo lives at the intersection of breakfast and lunch, which is why it shows up most often on brunch menus and at Sunday hotel buffets. It's a sandwich that requires confidence to order, there's something theatrical about being served a powdered-sugar-dusted, fried ham-and-cheese with a side of raspberry jam. Disney fans treat the Blue Bayou's deep-fried version as a pilgrimage food. Outside theme parks, the sandwich has a small but loyal following among diner enthusiasts and brunch traditionalists. Its cultural moment was strongest in the 1970s and 1980s, but it has never disappeared, and food writers periodically rediscover it as an underrated classic.
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Ingredients
- 2 slices white bread
- 2 oz sliced ham
- 2 oz sliced turkey (optional)
- 2 slices Swiss cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp butter
- Powdered sugar and raspberry jam to serve
Method
- Build the sandwich: cheese, ham, turkey, cheese, between two slices of bread
- Whisk the egg with the milk in a shallow dish
- Dip the entire sandwich in the egg mixture, coating both sides
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and griddle the sandwich until golden on both sides and the cheese has melted
- Cut diagonally, dust heavily with powdered sugar, and serve with raspberry jam on the side