At Brunch? Here's How To Pronounce Croque Madame And Monsieur

Sandwiches are some of the most beloved and convenient foods in the world. It's no wonder that the popularity of sandwiches is immense, so much so that each day, there are over 300 million sandwiches eaten in the U.S. If that's not a huge number, we don't know what is, especially when you take into consideration that "there are slightly more than 300 million Americans" (per The Whole U). 

But what is a sandwich, anyway? Britannica defines it as "two pieces of bread with something between them." And in the whole wide world, most countries have their take on a sandwich. Italy is famous for its crustless, triangular tramezzini; people in Vietnam enjoy their crisp veggies and meat in bánh mi sandwiches; the Japanese are in love with katsu sandos, made with fried pork cutlets and shokupan milk bread; while the British enjoy their chip butties consisting of buttered bread and a heap of fries (via CNN Travel). 

And when we think about France, not many sandwiches come to mind. Those that do, however, are true classics: croque monsieur and croque madame. You might've already heard about these two brunch staples, and if you're at brunch and have difficulty with pronunciation, we've made sure that you don't have to worry about it ever again. Here's how to pronounce both croque monsieur and croque madame.

AllRecipes reveals how to pronounce both croque monsieur and croque madame. If your French is not up to par, try pronouncing "croque" as a mix of "crock" and "croak," while making sure to hold the "o" just a little bit longer. For "monsieur," try practicing "muh-syur," and pronounce "madame" as "mah-daam." The pronunciation of French words can be tricky, but luckily, you can hear the pronunciation with your own ears if you head over to Merriam-Webster. 

So now we know how to pronounce croque monsieur and croque madame, but what will arrive at the brunch table once we order these sandwiches? Croque monsieur consists of cheese (typically Emmental or Gruyère), ham, and thick white bread that's topped with grated cheese. Béchamel sauce is often added to the sandwich for even more flavor, and croque monsieur is often dipped in eggs. The whole thing is then either fried in a pan or baked in the oven. And croque madame is simply a variation on a croque monsieur, made with the addition of poached or fried eggs on top.

Taste of Toulouse reports that croque monsieur was first mentioned in print in Marcel Proust's "In Search of Lost Time," in which he also popularized madeleines. And croque madame's name dates back to the 1960s, although it's assumed that it "was being prepared much earlier." Now that we know everything about these sandwiches, we're off to brunch. Are you coming with us?