Croque Monsieur with Pineapple

by Matt
(Lausanne, Switzerland)

My best French food experience may not be that exciting on paper, but it was discovering a new variation on the most simple of French dishes. In French food, croque monsieur simply refers to what Brits like me would call a toasted cheese n' ham sandwich - usually a double stacker with melted cheese also added on top.

The most common variation of this offered in French bistros and cafés - I have discovered - is ?croque madame?, which adds a fried egg to the mix. (If you like cheese, ham and fried egg, I bet your tastebuds are dribbling already!)

However... my recent discovery - which I actually made in the French speaking part of Southern Switzerland - is a croque Hawaii.

You can guess the difference right?

Yup this simply adds a ring of fresh, juicy pineapple to the cheesy top layer. So how does it taste? Oh la la and then some! There's something simply divine about toast, melted cheese over ham, fried egg and pineapple, which I'd never have guessed before eating it.

Of course this dish is nothing if not a calorific beast, so I don't munch it all the time, but when I?m feeling lazy and the corner café just across the road is calling me, it's croque hawaii every time. You must try it!