Johnny, I look forward to revisiting Criolla's when we come down in July! Thanks for such a gracious reply! The tapas sound terrific!
Where is Fabrice, and what is croque monsieur please?
I didn't know about Fabrice. It will be on my must try list this week.
The origin of the name "croque-monsieur" is shrouded in mystery. The word croque comes from the verb croquer which means to crunch or to munch, thereby the translation frequently given as "crunchy mister" or "crunchy sir" or "mister crunch". In any case, it first appeared on a Paris caf? menu in 1910 and is mentioned by Proust in one of his books. In some provinces of France a "croque" is a sandwich that has been dipped in egg and then broiled, which shows similiarities to some recipes for croque-monsieur. A croque-madame is the same sandwich, served with the addition of a fried egg "? cheval" or on top. You will also see some sandwiches labeled croque-madame that are made with chicken and cheese.