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 is 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 is the same comforting thing, made a little more of a meal.

And a Croque Mademoiselle?

This one is not a fixed classic. It means different things in different kitchens, most often a lighter or vegetarian version that leans on cheese rather than ham. We have served one in the past, though it is not on the menu at the moment.

Our croques at The Pressoir

We serve two, both with dressed leaves and a grated carrot salad:

• Croque Monsieur - ham, cheddar, sauce Mornay. £15
• Croque Madame - the monsieur, with a fried egg on top. £14

You will 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.

What to drink with a croque

Something bright and unoaked works well against all that cheese and béchamel, a dry Loire white for choice. David will point you at whatever is open, and any bottle from our wine shop in Wells can be drunk in for £10 corkage. More on our wine bar.

Come and try one

Croques are on the lunch menu, served from 12pm to 2.30pm Monday to Saturday. We open at 9am for breakfast and coffee, and dogs are welcome, see our dog friendly page. Find us at 10 Heritage Courtyard, Wells, a few steps from the Cathedral, and here is how to find us.