Croque Monsieur, Madame or Mademoiselle? The Difference, Explained

The croque is one of those French café classics that sounds fancier than it is: at heart, a very good grilled cheese. But the names, monsieur, madame, mademoiselle, cause no end of gentle confusion. Here's the difference, and what we do with ours at The Pressoir in Wells.

Croque Monsieur, the original

The croque monsieur is the classic: ham and cheese between toasted bread, bound and topped with a rich cheese sauce (béchamel or Mornay) and grilled until golden. It turned up on Parisian café menus in the early 1900s and never left.

Croque Madame, with a fried egg on top

Add a fried egg on top and the monsieur becomes a madame. The usual story is that the egg sits like a lady's hat, hence the name. It's the same comforting thing, made a little more of a meal.

And a Croque Mademoiselle?

This one isn't a fixed classic, you'll see it mean different things in different kitchens, but it's most often the lighter or vegetarian version, leaning on cheese rather than ham. Which is exactly how we treat ours.

Our croques at The Pressoir

All three are served with dressed leaves and a grated carrot salad:

• Croque Mademoiselle - brie, cheddar, goats cheese, sauce Mornay (vegetarian). £13
• Croque Monsieur - ham, cheddar, sauce Mornay. £14
• Croque Madame - smoked salmon, cheddar, sauce Mornay, fried egg. £15

You'll find them on our lunch menu, served alongside boards, small plates and a glass of whatever David is recommending that week. Pop in and settle the monsieur-or-madame question for yourself.