Croque Monsieur, Moulin de Provence, Ottawa

It was in our country's clean capital where I first had a taste of a Croque Monsieur, the delightful little ham and cheese sandwich that has warmed the cockles of my sandwich loving heart ever since first bite.

It was in fact at the Moulin de Provence in the market, now far more famous for its "Obama Cookies" than anything else, where I first had this treat. I've either imagined it or read up on it, both seem as likely, but I recall this sandwich to have originated as a cupboard leftover fed to the little ones after a day at school or play. I would certainly love it as an after school or work snack, that's for sure.

Consisting largely of thinly shaved salty ham with swiss cheese and béchamel sauce, the flavour combination mixed with my memories of first tasting this combination make this still the best Croque Monsieur I've ever had. Sure, it's not much to look at, and they just reheated it up in a microwave, and you have to eat it with plastic cutlery, but all the other fancy Croque Monsieurs and Madams I've had over the years, they have all failed to live up in comparison. True, I never ordered one in Paris, or even in Montreal, but there's only so much time, and so many sandwiches.

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