Is the traditional Croque Madame overrated?

[@halimazaghbib951]

I recommend you add salt pepper AND freshly ground nutmeg in your bechamel sauce, it brings out so much flavor and it tastes so much better!

[@paul_w]

Nutmeg is definitely a must-have.

[@Profanitey]

@@paul_w and yet Escofier indicates that the only things belonging in a becahmel are salt and manybe white pepper if I remember correctly. Then again what the hell does Escoffier know about the mother sauces of french cuisine? oh yeah he invented them.... well he's wrong either way I agree nutmeg is delightfull in bechamel.

[@InnuendoXP]

and a little onion powder & ground clove, way more convenient than steeping onion & cloves in the milk

[@fgoo008]

and what is with dumping all the milk in and whisking when you can just add the milk a little at a time while stirring!

[@miyounova]

There's always nutmeg in bechamel, not adding any is a culinary crime !

[@Jonathan_Hitchcock]

One thing I love about Ethan is he absolutely devours his food in the taste testings 😅 can’t wait for more!

[@FodorPupil]

@Queenshore lol

[@lustymaiden]

@Queenshore how so

[@dylanwebb2]

Dude eats his food like it's his last meal every time haha

[@Jammerjoint]

@Queenshore Fuck table manners, enjoy your food!

[@Kaiurai]

You know he's either an incredible actor or an incredible cook. Either way it's worth making his food to find out! :P

[@nktpj]

As a French I would say that restaurant’s croque monsieur/madame are clearly overrated ! It’s mostly a dish for children (or tourists lol) Most French make them at home, we even have special equipments to do them (it can be used to make waffles too) Great video though, enjoy your time in Paris !

[@I3urton]

If I wanted to look that curious tool up, what would I have to punch into google? :D

[@nktpj]

@@I3urton In French it would be « appareil à croque monsieur » In this case we would skip the bechamel (which is still really good and lighter)

[@Cool-yh5cz]

You can find really good ones

[@Cool-yh5cz]

L’epi d’or is almost perfect

[@brunobillion3435]

@@nktpj It's what the Brits call a "sandwich toaster"

[@madgirlintown1994]

The french usually make Croque Monsieur (without an egg) and it’s what you do when you barely have anything in the fridge and you can’t be arsed to cook. To those saying french food is overrated, this isn’t French food, this our version of kraft mac and cheese .

[@valhallakombi7239]

Isn't it just ham and cheese sandwich at that point (no cooking means no bechamel)?

[@Cecily-Pimprenelle]

@@valhallakombi7239 It is cooked - I do mine in the oven, with butter instead of béchamel, but it doesn’t take much time in the kitchen, I think that’s what madgirlintown meant.

[@valhallakombi7239]

@@Cecily-Pimprenelle Yeah but butter toasted ham and cheese sandwich is just that, can you still call it "Croque Monsieur". Just asking.

[@RenoNV775]

Can’t be assed to cook?

[@Cecily-Pimprenelle]

@@valhallakombi7239 Yes, we can? ... otherwise, well, I’ve been misnaming it all my life. I never had a look at any Official Croque-Monsieur receipes, mind you, but I thought the béchamel was just a way to make the sandwich fancier. I bought ready-to-pop-into-the-oven ones (Herta?) at some point, and I can’t remember bechamel being part of them (maybe there was some, I just didn’t notice it). The Picard mini-ones might have béchamel inside, but on the outside it’s only butter.

[@Zelnyair]

I recommend for Ethan to look up the Francesinha if he's not aware of them. It's from Porto in Portugal. It's a sandwich with: steak, ham, linguiça (Portuguese sausage), covered in melted cheese and has a tomato and beer sauce poured over it.

[@whoareyou2me]

Just looked that up. Looks amazing.

[@Nervous.Nellie]

Had a couple when I was there in 2019. Really cures a port hangover!

[@ginganinga223]

Thanks for this, I'm going to Portugal on Monday and will have to find a place to get this. Hopefully somewhere in Lisbon does a good version.

[@linoramalho2291]

@@ginganinga223 would recommend to have it when in Porto. My favourite is at “Restaurante O Afonso”

[@Rakavhar]

Portugal Caralho!!!

[@krozzer2748]

It gets mentioned every video, but I really appreciate the proper big bites for taste tests. Damn near unhinged your jaw on the first one, respect.

[@EthanChlebowski]

I've got one size when it comes to taste tests lol.

[@kamcorder3585]

It always reminds me of a snake, it's super impressive

[@redford4ever]

A lot of those French snacks are deliberately one dimensional because you complete it with a drink. A blond beer (in a glass) is perfect here. Also it's one of those case where a simple salad next to it can balance it all.

[@metalblind95]

and a little salade vinaigrette on the side ^^

[@ajmegale3179]

Ethan has the best cooking channel because he has the most realistic taste tests... no half assed nibble, my guy goes for the whole shabang half a sandwich at a time

[@iomar90]

Ordering those at a restaurant is clearly just a trap for tourists. Even that brasserie charging you 15€ for it is a rip-off.

[@eddds7297]

well in paris that's kind of commun prices

[@chickenpasta7359]

most places in the world are like this. you only need to walk 2 or 3 blocks away from tourist areas to get good prices for food

[@jettnash5217]

@@eddds7297 Drive an hour away from Paris and you'll get it at least half that price

[@hilcovanbreeschoten720]

To be fair, his version has like €8-9 worth of ingredients in it (already almost €5 worth of ham), and it's smaller than the brasserie version.

[@lalegende2746]

Well, it is Paris after all. I stayed there for a few days and the prices were definitely on the higher side (if you want something cheaper, you’ll be better off grabbing some street food or fast food). I remember getting a nice panini for 5€

[@coffeemeup]

It's one of those dishes that's good for anytime of the day. The only thing I'd change is use the lemon peel for the mornay sauce, instead of the lemon juice. Or squeeze fresh lemon juice at the end for the acidity.

[@Tofu61]

Ethan, I've been subbed since about 55K(?), and I'm absolutely in awe of how far you've come in such a short amount of time. Your Content is ever-improving, and I'm excited to see where you'll be even in 6 months time. Keep it up.

[@jameshogge]

If nothing else, people should try that light spread of mustard! I do that when I make a croque madame (otherwise standard). It's just enough to cut through the heaviness of the cheese. It's a good addition to a lot of cold sandwiches too!

[@seanchenn]

Honestly I feel like pickled onions would be so good in it as well since the sandwich is pretty rich and heavy. I feel like the acidity would pair nicely

[@EthanChlebowski]

I thought about sneaking them in there lol.

[@JB-xl2jc]

Acidity is exactly what it needs I think. And if you're feeling adventurous, some heat! I like to make exactly this but put hot sauce on top and some various spices which mimic a tiny bit of a texmex flavor. The egg yolk mixing with hot sauce and ham (or deli turkey actually works great too) flavor, along with the pleasant crunchy bread texture, is one of my go to quick pleasure meals. It might be an abomination culinarily, but it's amazing.

[@armadillito]

@@JB-xl2jc I have red onion quesadilla all the time, and they're essentially the same as cheese toasties, which is all a croque monsieur is.

[@seanchenn]

@@EthanChlebowski you gotta try it and let us know if it's good

[@jaredheine4076]

Or sauerkraut

[@davidbcg286]

As a French, I do similar tweaks on my croque madame. I have not seen any “sacrilège” in your approach haha. A café near my apartment used to serve the “croque monsieur forestier” with extra mushrooms, amazing. Anyway, you honored our national sandwich :)

[@zonedout6432]

Would switching the ham out for turkey be sacrilège?

[@davidbcg286]

@@zonedout6432 just a variation, if I’d serve it in a restaurant / cafe then the name would show this variation, but nothing shocking

[@1050cc]

Usually when people do "their own version", they display a complete lack of understanding of the thing they have started from. They just bastardize it to make it something they fancy and something completely different. Your recipe showed a healthy understanding of the original croque madame and the thing you focused on was quality. You watched, you learnt, you improved. The little zing of lemon and the chives to give added flavour and colour are what make you a good cook ;-)

[@bernardo9202]

You need to try the portuguese version of this, made by a ex emigrant in france, then returned to portugal to porto. The dish is called Francesinha and it's one of the most incredible things you can have when well made

[@kristydickens1283]

This reminds me of something my family does with Thanksgiving leftovers. We make hot browns. The way we do them we pile leftover ham and turkey on toasted bread and cover with mornay sauce, top with shredded cheese and broil. The fired egg is optional. Bacon can also be added. The rosemary in the mornay sauce sounds awesome!

[@Cecily-Pimprenelle]

I’d never have thought of infusing herbs in my bechamel... definitely noting the idea, thank you!

[@captainhaddock6193]

The thing that makes French food so good is the simplicity. Simple food with great quality ingredients. That's why even something as basic as a jambon-beurre can seem like the best sandwich ever at times. A croque madame can be incredible, just like anything has to be a good one with good quality ingredients.

[@anneceferron4595]

I think the only time I’ve seen somebody order a croque monsieur/ madame in France, they were foreigner. This is typically something our mother would cook when they had no time or when the fridge was being filled the day after. Never understood why it became such a thing in French cooking. But you put a nice twist to it, gotta make one for me my mother ;)

[@xMarko7]

C'est un peu notre burger à nous. Rapide, simple.

[@mikiex]

Simple, a good one tastes amazing!

[@anneceferron4595]

@@xMarko7 Ça n’est pas faux, sauf qu’il y a moins de tentatives de renouveler le croque que le burger. 🤔 domaine à approfondir ??

[@maloryfunction2260]

So it's like the cultural equivalent of craft Mac n cheese or a PB&j

[@alexcerien2032]

Have you tried white wine in your mornay sauce? I think it pairs betters with the cheese than the lemon juice while giving that brightness you're looking for.

[@EthanChlebowski]

I have! Didn't have any around, but completely agree on it blending nicely while still giving brightness!

[@the1barbarian781]

Adam?

[@Mary-xo9op]

You should try ‘Francesinha’ which translated means ‘frenchie’ or ‘little french lady’, a Portuguese dish created by a Portuguese emigrant that lived in France and reinvented this one into something, in my opinion, much more exciting! It’s now one of the most iconic street foods in Portugal, you should definitely have a look at it! The filling is not only made of cheese and ham but also of Portuguese sausage and steak and the sauce is the absolute signature of the dish and the hardest to cook but it’s basically made with gravy, tomato sauce and a mix of different alcoholic drinks which might sound like a weird combination but it’s delicious! Would love to see a video of you trying it. Portuguese food is so underrated!

[@TeddyAura]

Everything depends on the neighborhood where you buy the croque. You can get a croque for eight in some areas of Paris

[@Wapako]

As a french, I'm not the biggest fan of Croque Monsieur but just seeing yours makes me sooo hungry right now ahah

[@TgWags69]

Bechamel huh? My mother always just called that white sauce. We always used an equal proportion of butter and flour in Tablespoons ie 2 or 4....then whatever that number was, cut it in half for cups of milk. So if it was 4 T of butter/ flour then you would use 2 cups of milk (salt and pepper to taste)....Putting that on toast reminds me of my favorite recipe from my Grandmother, "Eggs al la Goldenrod" sliced up hard boiled eggs whites added to the sauce poured on toast then grate the yokes on top so it's fluffy to look like goldenrod flowers. So simple but absolutely delicious.

[@williamvouk2911]

I love how you always manage to absolutely devour the food during your taste testes. Even the one that ends up losing the taste test gets destroyed

[@FearGFX]

In culinary school we are taught to add either cold fluids to a warm roux or warm fluids to a cold roux. And we add the fluid a little at a time. You than first get a really thick roux which will slowly turn into a sauce of the right consistency

[@sdegueldre]

Tip for the bechamel: if you add the milk to the roux slowly (or in a few batches) and mix as you go, you really don't need to break out the whisk and it will be super smooth even with milk starting cold. This is actually true for many things, also works wonders for making hot chocolate: add the liquid slowly. When the mixture is thick, the internal shearing forces break up the clumps without any effort on your part. As for your version of the croque madame, I think it has very american proportions (which as you said: your preferences and no shame in that), I'm always baffled at the ratio of meat to anything else in american sandwiches. I think when other ingredients start surpassing the bread by volume it's barely even a sandwich anymore, but different strokes for different folks I suppose.

[@lolilollolilol7773]

He is right about the ham though, the ham in average croque-monsieur is super average ham, when we make great ham but they don't use that because more expensive.

[@crumbtember]

this theory works for a lot of things, something happens when im trying to emulsify chocolate into milk tho. it will seem homogenized, but then when i add more liquid it seems clumps re form into small particles. i think it might have to do with the temperature of the liquid im adding, but anecdotally i have achieved emulsion with cold or warm milk, yet sometimes id doesnt work. baffling and infuriating lol.

[@llamzrt]

Love the addition of rosemary, though I'd sooner just cut back on the cheese/sauce to get more balance, rather than adding more ham. The extra meaty sandwich seems to be an American palette thing which I find it can get kind of "slimy". Probably less of a problem with that bougie wavy ham though.

[@jakx2ob]

Always freaks me out a bit when I see an American deli sandwich and it has like a 2-3 fingers thick layer of cold cuts. More than enough for 5 Viennese bread rolls.

[@llamzrt]

@@jakx2ob @jakx2ob yeah, excesive cold cuts in particular puts me off. I don't really know why. Don't get me wrong, I'm a greedy fuck, but after a certain point I just want an actual substantial cut of meat like a whole turkey breast or pork chop or something instead of trying to reconstitute the animal in slices, haha.

[@matthewvorndran6931]

@@jakx2ob we like meat okay!

[@lukebarredo4180]

@@llamzrt yeah I feel the same lol just never knew how to put it but you put it perfectly

[@brooklynsbaby4367]

I find the wavy ham to be more slimy when it's packed up like that

[@bwowzah]

Fantastic video from all aspects. One thing I both like and appreciate that you do is: when it comes time to actually eat the food, you don't instantly scream "MM OH MYESS!!" Before the fork has even left your mouth during the first bite. You actually analyze what you ate and give an actual breakdown of how it turned out. Thank you for taking the time to really cover every point in the process.

[@truenorth2653]

Never on the top of my list to make, but Your version gives me inspiration. Love your channel and love the French inspirations. Great choice brother.

[@egress8445]

The milk being warmer makes it harder to incorporate, not easier. Hot roux + cold milk = no lumps

[@ErikPukinskis]

Or just add the liquid at the right speed. If you add it too slow, the roux seizes up... add it too fast and you get lumps floating in water. If you just monitor it while you're adding the liquid and keep it in the "gravy zone" you won't have any lumps. I do either hot or cold liquid and never have problems with lumps.

[@AnnabelSmyth]

I gave up on roux a long time ago, and now make a whisked sauce, much easier. Milk, salt, pepper, mustard powder and flour all whisked together then poured into a saucepan on top of melted butter or heated oil (or even leave this out if you're watching the fat), bring to the boil, stirring all the time, and there you are!

[@alxsytb]

made a croque yesterday, put some sage and nutmeg into the bechamel and some semi caramelized red onions betweed the ham, really work wonders together, gave it a very hearty herby note. tho i could also imagine additional shallots in the bechamel could be good af too with that combo to really lean into the onion notes

[@H3nry2077]

The only thing is, the way you make bechamel you over complicate things a little, if you slowly add the milk it you dont need a whisk or anything and it wont clump together.

[@howat123]

Ethan, when you get back to the US, would you consider a healthy crockpot/pressure cooker episode with 2 or 3 recipes? I love cooking but find my life a bit too hectic to prep daily. I'd love to prep a bunch of meals at the beginning of my week, freezer bag em, and dump them in a crockpot before I leave, coming back home to a great meal. There are other videos out there for this, but your foreign food taste match with mine, and your desire to make stuff healthier lines up perfectly as well. I just feel like you'd bring something new to the table that the other channels haven't. Really hope you're enjoying your trip!

[@ScReamOut93]

I love the way you just stuff food into your mouth like a caveman. My wife always shunts me for eating too fast and too greedy. But seeing the way you eat I feel more accepted.

[@thomasj8851]

Hey, so nice to see that you are here in France, it is first time that a see a content creator willing to relocate to France. Some idea that you could do is travel across France to discover local specialities. Even if in Paris you can find all the food you want, eating a galette in quiberon, a choucroute in Strasbourg or a bouillabaisse in Marseille could be really nice experience to share to your audience

[@jpbckr]

Absolutely love your content! They're so inspiring to make new dishes and explore different ideas. I'm french and lived in Paris most of my life and you should definitely go around all restaurants and show how you interpret original french dishes! French cuisine is great, but some places definitely need some Ethan ideas in their kitchen.. Keep the great work up and excited for the next one!!

[@roflattheworld]

Congrats on being so close to 1M subs! You have done wonders for reinvigorating my love for cooking and I can't thank you enough for putting out such easy-to-follow, informative content.

[@GR8APE69]

A good tip I've seen as a sort of shortcut/quality control technique when making a light roux or stirring flour in to a sauce/liquid is to use a mesh strainer or China Cap/Bouillon strainer (I prefer Bouillon strainers since they are deep and sit down inside of pots). Lower the strainer in to the pot with your sauce in it. The liquid will come through and fill your strainer from the outside. Then, add flour to the inside of your strainer, and (with the heat on) whisk it continuously making sure that the flour stays inside the strainer. The flour will dissolve and begin to incorporate in to the sauce while still cooking from the heat. Just before you reach your desired consistency, remove the strainer from the pot. Do NOT pour the contents of the strainer in to the pot. This will allow the flour that dissolved and cooked fully to remain in the pot, while any raw flour that would have imparted a grainy undesirable texture will be removed and contained within the strainer! This is especially helpful if you need to add flour toward the end of the cooking process or I'm cases where you don't want to dirty another pot making a roux.

[@Alexthezieg]

I'm so excited for your whole series in France!! Sorry to be pedantic, but here's some pronunciation tips. You're probably going to be saying/seeing these words a lot: MacDo = mac-DOE (like doe a deer) Emmental = em-men-TALL

[@Asdayasman]

American man goes to Paris, realises everything sucks, proceeds to do it all better.

[@BandiniTheGreat]

Imagine traveling to the heart of France to call their food overrated 😂 Gotta love Ethan

[@RenoNV775]

Their food is overrated.

[@manfurt47]

France is overrated. Look up syndrome de paris

[@TheButterMinecart1]

@@RenoNV775 Croque Madames are literally made for children or for when you have nothing left in the fridge and need a quick snack. If you look at them thinking it's the pinnacle of French food of course you'll think that it's overrated.

[@johnbuscher]

@@manfurt47 I mean, Paris is overrated which is why there’s that name of the effect it has on people’s dissonance. But there’s a lot more to France than Paris!

[@RenoNV775]

@@TheButterMinecart1 Mac & cheese has taken over the world whereas this crappy little sandwich is staying in France.

[@weston.weston]

I enjoy your content Ethan. I don't eat meat or dairy but enjoy the learning about the general food concepts you share. Your personal story is also fun mixed in with your food chronicles. Keep up the great work!

[@ScoffMathews]

I had a croque adjacent sandwich once that used goat cheese on the béchamel and it was incredible, I've been wanting to take a shot for a while so I guess this is the video that sends me down that rabbit hole.

[@busterandloulou]

When making bechamel, I will often add a very small amount of anchovy. It will add some deep rich savory notes to the sauce.

[@tatache5971]

I make mines using Comté or Cantal cheese, a good ham very thinly sliced, Dijon mustard, and I add a little bit of green onions and hot sauce at the top of the egg when it's done. I never add some béchamel as I think the sandwich actually doesn't need it at all. And it's pretty good!

[@rez9159]

If you are ever in Hamburg germany look out for Croque too. In the Internet "Hamburger Croque". Its a fast food you will only find in northern germany. Same name but completely different variant, traditional with cooked ham coleslaw, salat shortly baked with cheese, in a fluffy- crunchy baguette.

[@shawnhampton8503]

Julia Child made hers with Dijon mustard-butter spread on the inside. Really makes a difference.

[@placebo141]

Would be good having a hybrid between a British ploughman's/Welsh rarebit and the croque monsieur

[@ChillestDudeEver]

I've seen a lot of "classic" croque madame recipes that call for mustard on the sandwich, which I think addresses a lot of your one-dimensional issues with the classic recipe. But of course, there is no "one true recipe" for anything and I'm sure someone somewhere would call mustard a non-traditional addition. Your version looks delicious! I love chives and they really set off the golden yellow of the yolk, presentation-wise.

[@o.antonio]

There's already an improved version of the croque madame. It's the Portuguese francesinha

[@jackash6]

Combining milk and roux at opposite temperatures(cold roux-hot milk, hot roux-cold milk) all at once together will ensure no clumps!

[@brunobillion3435]

It's better to add the milk little by little than in one go for the bechamel. It does prevent clumps with a lot less effort ;)

[@kurouringo2318]

Hey Ethan, great video, just a little correction on the name though, the verb "croquer" in french mean "to bite" thus making the (rough) translation of this sandwich's name : "bite-a-(wo)man". For it to be Mr/Mrs. Crunch the name would have to be "croquant monsieur"

[@WillieFungo]

It's clearly slang...

[@kurouringo2318]

@@KahruSuomiPerkele "un monsieur croquant" would definitely be more common, however "un croquant monsieur" would be proper french too

[@caden6762]

New thumbnail is 10x better then the original from a few hours ago

[@nikohoijarvi7041]

This is the kind of Paris content that I want to see. Cool French recipes that I would actually consider making, with ingredients I can find (or find close substitutes for) in the USA.

[@abigaillubbee979]

Enjoying your Paris series so far, Ethan. Keep it up, bro! Sending love from South Africa 🇿🇦

[@Jenshi13665]

I think the sturdier bread makes for a sturdier sandwich, sure, but there's something about how soft and pillowy using a soft white bread for croque madame is that makes it much more luxurious.

[@Wemfs]

Was wondering if you planned on eating at any michelin star restaurants while in Paris? Would love to hear your experience

[@aquaphoenixx]

The waiting list for some is more than the 3 months he is staying. Hopefully there is a last minute cancellation or he reserved well in advance!

[@Flippokid]

A grilled cheese is typically around 2 bucks here in the Netherlands. Croque monsieur is less known, but if you can find one it goes for 4 to 5 bucks. Add the egg: 7,50. Anywhere in Paris: double the fair price. You wanted to live in Paris? There ya go.

[@karminiparsan9256]

I love infusing fresh herbs in my bechamel...saute them 1st in the butter then carry on as usual. I use garlic thyme rosemary onions chive or flavouring peppers.

[@LethalSquirt]

**Ethan warms up milk to make the roux** **Chef John has entered the chat**

[@Liipola]

Always cold milk

[@valhallakombi7239]

He had to heat the milk to infuse Rosmary. But yeah, would have been better if he just infused Rosmary in the butter itself and then used cold milk

[@ToPlantASeed1]

Btw nice little short cut if in a hurry or you don't feel like making béchamel, substitute it for crème fraiche seasoned with salt and pepper.

[@FroxyCz]

One thing: I would probably measure milk (and any liquid up to honey in fact) in volume (mills) and not weight (grams). Why not use the liqudity of the thing when it is allready so easy to measure. :)

[@zeynepnursozer]

The day you posted this, I had a Croque Madame at a brunch place in Berlin. It had scrambled eggs on top which elevated the experience. The toast itself had bechamel sauce and gruyere cheese. It was such a pleasant twist to the regular croque madame

[@frutkovrutko3053]

I add onion jam in mine, it makes a world of difference! Once you try it there is no turning back...

[@TeddyAura]

One of my favorites croques in Paris is Cafe Tram. If you want to try the cheesy "sandwich" in France, visit Lille and try a Welsh rarebit

[@luispereira9120]

Croque Madame inspired Francesinha, which is a very famous dish from Porto, Portugal. Look it up or even better come to Portugal and have a taste.

[@joshuagodinez5867]

Nice. I love the ham you chose. Feel like it makes all the difference. I make a croque madame at home often using only 1 slice of bread (I also thought the bread part needed adjustment), but it's butter toasted brioche and use a mornay sauce, also. Stole the recipe idea from Thomas Keller at his Las Vegas restaurant Bouchon (and then tweaked it). Never tried it the one time I visited France (I was comparison tasting steak frittes from all over).

[@konstantinosntelirabakas7340]

ye i like this iteration way more than the common croque. One more thing is, grilling the ham slightly would give even more depth. put the ham under salamander for a little bit before u assemble or fully assemble the sandwich. personally I would do the extra step of grilling the ham on half assembled croque aka - 1. get all the ingredients on the sandwich and spread the ham on the two slices, 2. don't cook that long that the cheese completely melts. 3. take out the oven and fully assemble the sandwich. 4. grill again as u would normally and finish with the egg.)

[@Umasuki74]

Some places like to twist it a bit ! I once had a croque monsieur with truffles ... It was incredible !

[@MrSilverHair]

I would love to see you try to make a francesinha. It is the Portuguese take on a croque madame, with a beer and tomato sauce. It is delicious.

[@nicobufr]

1) there should be bechamel inside, not just on top. I make my bechamel sauce with green chile for a new Mexican twist on the croque monsieur. 2) It's better with pain poilane or anything more rustic than pain de mie. 3) prosciutto or jambon fume is also an improvement or slow cooked ham ( jambon blanc). 4) I like to cook it in a skillet and press it down, before finishing in the oven under the broiler.

[@whatseatingwayde]

Im going to work on the sauce. In La Havre, we had our first Croque Madame and Monsieur. We also has a fresh baguette and some good cheese. The sandwiches were okay but like you pointed out, the ham was an afterthought and the whole thing lacked any pop. Not bad but not mind blowing either. Now the bread was fantastic and although I don't recall which cheese we had, it was recommended by the local shop and man is there a difference in French cheese vs American offerings.

[@diazhermelo]

Great video! You are right, is not much more than an average good sandwich. Nothing beats a ciabatta of prosciutto, rucula, and little parmesan cheese. Maybe a bocata of Iberico ham, watercress, and a little manchego cheese tie with the ciabatta&prosciutto.

[@Trazzt]

"the original is a bit heavy" -> proceeds to add an amount of ham to the sandwich that I could only describe as "American" :) Love the video tho! keep em coming.

[@valhallakombi7239]

Heavyness is not necessarily "more calories". The subtle stuff like Rosmary, Chives, Mustard that are not butter, cheese, milk make a ton of difference. They provide a different refreshing flavor that cleanses palate and makes further bites not feel the same. And the whole wheat bread instead of sugary white is a game changer.

[@minuteman4199]

@@valhallakombi7239 Although you can put sugar in white bread, I don't think most white bread has sugar in it.

[@RenoNV775]

@@valhallakombi7239 well said, disregard the broke third worlders who hate seeing an adult sized portion of food.

[@karthikarvindcs]

@@RenoNV775 lol, broke third world?? That’s size for entire world except the obese America

[@KL-fg6nt]

I made croque monsieur a month ago for a friends dinner party. It was very rich and decadent. After a few bites, as you said, it needed something else. A hand-full of arugula and a few shakes of Valentina fixed it right up for my palate.

[@suprspi]

I'm psyched that you took my suggestion for a food to try making your way. (We'll, I'm sure others suggested it too and you likely were already thinking of it, but Imma pretend it was mine you took). I was introduced to these sandwhiches by a French exchange student we had. His father is from Northern Africa and they run an Italian restaurant in Paris, so we had many interesting food discussions and discoveries when he stayed with us in Canada.

[@darklink594]

>goes to Paris >makes croque Madame in hotel room >refuses to elaborate >Leaves

[@notbanksy2977]

It's way too much ham for my taste, it's the most American approach to it, tho. It's mostly eaten by Kids here in Europe and France, we use a Sandwich Maker/Toaster for it most of the time, leave the egg out it's a fast Dinner like your grilled cheese. But less Ham, yours reminds me of some type of Americanized Sandwiches like Pastrami. Anyway every place in Europe and even outside the West have their own version of a grilled cheese sandwich, in Germany people make it with Salami or Mortadella.

[@suredec1]

It definitely seems like in America the more fillings the better the sandwich. From what I've seen it looks like it's the approach with many foods there, the more you pile stuff on it, the better it gets. Seems a bit odd at times from a European point of view. I think small amount of good quality incredients go a long way. Less is more so to speak but each to their own

[@H2h0e]

the cheese here isn’t that great so drowning out the taste with ham makes sense

[@pistache1988]

I'm French and the title triggered me. 1. Bougie ham is the best 2. In the béchamel, try the traditional ground nutmeg and the less traditional spoonful of mustard 3. I put béchamel inside the sandwich as well.

[@busterandloulou]

If you like crepes, you should try galettes. They are crepes made of buckwheat. They are savory and crunchy.

[@codepipeline]

It's weird to say that the classic version doesn't live up to its potential. Why are we suddenly experts on French cuisine and culture to say that the iconic sandwich "could be better"? If you don't like it, just say it's not your favorite sandwich and here's a version you would make. Seems disrespectful to march into France and say the sandwich doesn't meet its potential. Certain foods are classic for a reason. They're loved and understood in their most basic form everywhere.

[@Ignore14]

It's just his opinion dawg

[@ploppyjr2373]

Weird to get so upset over somebody’s opinion

[@jesseprins4744]

Love your channel; your ideas, your courage, and your simplicity (good food doesn't have to require a PhD). Thought for you: one of my other channels I watch (Taji's kitchen) actually has a flame icon for how high the heat is which is really helpful. So maybe you could look into doing something like that to help us out. Thanks again.

[@louisrios5546]

5:35 "Bougie ham" is one of the best things you can get in Paris, it's next level.

[@ExterminatorElite]

An early account of the croque monsieur, in 1891, states it was "made for the jaws of giants", so it's a tall sandwich that demands a big bite. That likely means a thick piling of ham, a thick cut of bread, or both. It's interesting that lot of modern croque monsieurs and madames- including all the ones you showed around Paris- have such a thin layer of ham, and thinly sliced bread, and are therefore so unbalanced.

[@Antheraws]

Love what you're doing in Paris and with the channel man. I'm definetly going to make this for my cheese and breakfast loving girlfriend. Stay well!

[@LouisAndriet]

You should try Fric-Frac in Paris 10°. Very nice and good varieties of croque.

[@linoramalho2291]

Ethan you have to try the Portuguese rendition of this dish. It’s called Francesinha and it’s typical from Porto.

[@schewy1000]

You need to go to Frenchie To Go in the 2eme - Rue du Nil - the lobster roll is amazing. Also go check out Song Heng on Rue Volta in the 3eme

[@cwj138]

I always put a tiny bit of Colemans mustard in the béchamel so don't know what it is like without it, maybe is something to try.

[@arkeron1]

Ethan since you are in Paris just do me a favour. Get on a flight, go to Porto in Portugal and eat a Francesinha ( it's a Portuguese take on Croque Madame that is 1000 times better ) believe me it's going to blow your mind.

[@linoramalho2291]

Hope he sees the portuguese comments recommending him to go to Porto and have a Francesinha.

[@0innerself0]

Hi, nicely done. Just your bread is almost burnt but again it's your tastes. Personnally I put béchamel inside as well to prevent the bread from being too dry coming out of the oven.

[@Michael_Gendron]

Knowing my general preferences, my wife makes me Croque madame with a jalapeño infused béchamel, before adding Gruyère, and then topped with charred jalapeños. The rest of the sandwich is pretty traditional, but I love the spiciness and added dimension the peppers give.

[@katiethecookinglady]

Hey Ethan, coming to Paris in July! Woohooo! Can you please go over some places to get the delicious ham and cheeses? What are your favorite places? Hams, Cheese, butters? Thanks!

[@scoobtoober2975]

We were seeking this in St.Martin. No dice. This is totally not what they served us. It was on the french side of the island. My relative had been to paris before that and then asked for one on our trip. It was just a boring not tasty grilled cheese with a little ham. Thanks for making this. I need to make a proper one.

[@DasIllu]

I usually make a "crook monsieur" when hungry. Sammich toaster, in goes some grated gouda, slice of whole wheat sandwich bread, few slices of pepperoni, processed cheese (just melts better), another slice of bread, and the top layer is either gouda again (i'm broke) or parmiggiano reggiano (feeling fancy today) If you make it good enough you'll savour it with your eyes closed... so no points detracted for the lack of pretentious chives 😛

[@christopheantoine5472]

Always mix, either cold roux with warm liquid, or warm roux with cold liquid.

[@garlicgirl3149]

I am going to say probably in most countries anything homemade is better. That looked amazing!