Monte Cristo

I was one of those who first experienced a Monte Cristo at Disneyland in the late 1960s or early 1970s. I believe it was at the sit-down restaurant inside Pirates of the Caribbean. It seemed very grown up and glamorous to me as a young child! I am going to have to make this sandwich and relive the magical joy of Disneyland in the days of e-tickets and short lines.

Wondered why this got only three stars, so I read all 28 of the comments, and found not one that actually made the sandwich and reviewed the results. I also have fond memories of the Monte Cristo, but when I make this I’m going to actually let y’all know how it turned out. I guess that was number 29.

Yes - the restaurant in the Pirates of the Caribbean - The Blue Bayou. I had one there, too. But I think the first time I had one was in the dinning room at Buffum’s. It was half a sandwich but a triple decker, deep fried. So good. Will have to finally make one myself.

Peeps, Nicole is clearly just having a laugh (with us or at us for taking her seriously). The first paragraph of the Mayonnaise page on French Wikipedia reminds us it’s often mixed with mustard. Now, she didn’t say no one does this, just that those who do it are children—which totally tracks, because the mixing of mayo and mustard into remoulade was codified by none other than famed kindergarten teacher Auguste Escoffier. Ah, how deliciously witty a prescriptivist culinary snob can be.

During the late 1970s in the North, the Perkins chain served a Midwestern version of the Monte Cristo by assembling the sandwich, dunking it in egg batter and deep-frying the whole thing. It was heinous. Done well, the Monte Cristo is a fantastic sandwich and the jam is not optional.

Wouldn't it be easier to dip the bread in the egg, place it egg side down on a plate, spread the mayo and mustard, layer the sandwich, spread the mayo and mustard on the other piece of bread and then dip it in the egg and place atop the sandwich and then transfer to the pan? Trying to egg-dip the assembled sandwich seems fraught with misadventure.

Assemble the sandwich and then dip in egg? Ridiculous. Start by making three slices of french toast as normal. As soon as you flip the first time, lay on your swiss and ham on one slice, cheddar and turkey on another. Then stack them all together as a triple decker, dust with the powdered sugar and serve with strawberry jam.

The French add water to their eggs. Julia Child explains why. I grew up with Orange juice added by my mother. I use milk, water or half and Half depending on the recipe. As a child I learned that OJ, water or milk “stretched” the eggs, making them go further. An old Depression trick, though I suspect water would have been the additive, not costly milk.

I was surprised there was no addition of milk to egg mixture. I remember watching a "Food 911" show where a woman's family hated her Chicken French, because it was chicken covered with scrambled eggs. Tyler showed her to add milk and? Success! I also watched a show where Alton Brown claimed adding milk to scrambled egg mixture was beneficial, but I can't remember why. Maybe it's not needed with Monte Cristo because bread soaks up mixture, but adding milk would increase absorption?

Anyone else remember the Monte Cristo sandwich at Blum's restaurant in San Francisco? The restaurant was on Union Square with a door into Macy's (R.I.P.) in the back. Always had the Monte Cristo followed by a slice of Koffee Krunch Kake. Not so healthy a meal but I was young back then.

My understanding is that the Monte Cristo sandwich was named after the actor James O'Neill (father of Eugene O'Neill), whose signature role as the "Count of Monte Cristo" played for decades in the late nineteenth century.

My first memory of this one is also disney - and it was deep fried. Yum. (https://houseofnasheats.com/blue-bayou-monte-cristo-sandwiches/)

It’s always served with maple syrup where I live.

The BEST Monte Cristo in the US is served at a place called Grandmas Saloon and Grill in Duluth MN. 2 tweak they make result in an amazing sandwich: 1) Texas toast vs thin bread and 2) deep frying vs pan frying. I’m usually not a fan of Texas toast, but in this case it makes for a much better balanced and (believe it or not) less greasy sandwich. Haven’t been there in 20 years, but see it is still on the menu!!!!!

I never put mayo on Monte Cristo sandwiches. I prefer to make the French toast (with milk and eggs) first to ensure that both sides of the toast are cooked through and not soggy. I then layer on ham, turkey, and cheese with mustard (and sometimes jam or honey). I then re-grill them in the same pan used to make the French toast, cooking on low until the cheese melts. It's neat, and always cooked through on the inside just as nicely on the outside.