The National Monte Cristo Day is celebrated every 17th of September every year. This special day gives honor and recognition to Monte Cristo, which is a sandwich with fried ham and cheese. It is a French sandwich also called croque-monsieur which is inspired by Monte Cristo from the Count of Monte Cristo. It goes by other name as well which include French Sandwich, French Toasted Cheese Sandwich, and Toasted Ham Sandwich. All these names basically refer to the Monte Cristo sandwich.
About the National Monte Cristo Day
Though Monte Cristo sandwich is usually only made of ham, cheese, and sandwich buns, sometimes other ingredients like jam and sugar are added, especially by people who prefer a sweeter taste. The outer coating of the sandwich is crispy. This is achieved by chefs by dipping the sandwich in egg batter, which is then pan fried after.
Instead of ham, sliced turkey is added sometimes. Different kinds of cheese are also added. How the sandwich is cooked may vary as well. It is often pan fried but there is also a grilled variety. Some are also open faced and heated in a broiler or grill.
During the National Monte Cristo Day, people conduct various activities that let them achieve the objectives or purposes of the celebration. For one, people try to make their own Monte Cristo sandwich by preparing all the needed ingredients to make one. They may also try to become creative and create their own variation of Monte Cristo. Other people prefer to just order Monte Cristo sandwiches from the bakery or pastry shop. People also shout out on social media how they are participating in the celebration of the event.
History
Historical records claim that the Monte Cristo sandwich was first served in 1910 in a café at Boulevard des Capucines in Paris. It was very similar to croque-monsieur, a French sandwich. Throughout the 1930s to 1960s, recipes for Monte Cristo Sandwich started to appear in American cookbooks. The popularity of the sandwich catapulted into mainstream fame during the 1950s. The National Monte Cristo Day was started by Bennigan’s, a restaurant known for serving delicious Monte Cristo sandwiches.
With limited knowledge about the origins of Monte Cristo sandwich, even less is known about the history of the National Monte Cristo Day. We don’t know when, where, and how it began. But still, we can make a good guess as to why such event was established in the first place. Bennigan’s thought that the Monte Cristo sandwich is much loved by the people. They must have then thought that it deserves a spot in the list of food holidays celebrated every year. Or maybe they just want to showcase their delicious sandwich and make it even more popular. And with that, more sales for them. But we are all glad we have this holiday because for a day, we can indulge ourselves into this delicious sandwich.
Dates
As mentioned earlier, the National Monte Cristo Day is celebrated every 17th of September each year. This means that the dates of celebration for this event are as follows:
- Thursday, September 17,
- Friday, September 17,
- Saturday, September 17, 2022
- Sunday, September 17, 2023
- Tuesday, September 17, 2024
- Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Celebration Ideas and Activities
The following are the best things to do to make your celebration of the National Monte Cristo Day as best as it can be:
Make Your Own Monte Cristo Sandwich
Of course, the best way to celebrate this event is to make your own Monte Cristo sandwich. With a bread in hand plus all the ingredients needed for the sandwich, you can easily make one. Just hit up the grocery store or supermarket if you lack some or all of the ingredients. You will surely find all the ingredients you need in there.
Purchase a Delicious Monte Cristo Sandwich
Another good idea for your celebration of this wonderful day is to order a Monte Cristo sandwich from the bakery or pastry shop. For sure, these stores will be offerings lots of these sandwiches during or even before the event because they expect that a great demand for this sandwich will come due to the celebration. Just make sure to buy one or some from a bakery or pastry shop that offers delicious Monte Cristo sandwiches.
Celebrate on Social Media
You can also take your celebration of this day on social media. You can, for instance, use the hashtag #NationalMonteCristoDay to let your friends and followers know that you are also participating in the celebration of this day. Let them know that such a celebration takes place every year and also how fun you are enjoying your day.
Quotes
- Life is like a sandwich! Birth as one slice, and death as the other. What you put in-between the slices is up to you. Is your sandwich tasty or sour? – Alan Rufus
I created the peplum so you can eat in it. You can have a dessert, you can have another sandwich. – Alber Elbaz - Do not make a stingy sandwich; pile the cold cuts high; so you should see salami coming through the rye. – Allan Sherman
- Call me All-American, but I love Ham and Cheese sandwiches. And not just any old ham and cheese sandwich… My mother’s is the best. I’ve tried many times to make these sandwiches on my own, but it’s never the same. – Andy Roddick
- I’ve been to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It’s a tower, and it’s leaning. You look at it, but nothing happens, so then you look for someplace to get a sandwich. – Danny DeVito
- When you love something, whether it’s jam and cheese sandwiches or wearing your pyjamas as pants, you forget that it was ever anything other than commonplace. – Elisha Lim
- A man’s social rank is determined by the amount of bread he eats in a sandwich. – F. Scott Fitzgerald
- I tried to make each half sandwich last for three full bites, though I could easily have popped them into my mouth whole. ― Ellen Emerson White
- “It was the best grilled cheese sandwich I’d ever had—golden brown with a buttery taste, and the cheese all melted and gooey and oozing out the edges.” ― Peg Kehret, Runaway Twin
- “The smell of peppery warm cheese and thick, yeasty grilled bread was beginning to fill the air. She would give the sandwich to Della Lee when she got home, and while Della Lee ate the sandwich Josey would eat oatmeal pies and candy corn and packets of salty pumpkin seeds from her closet.” ― Sarah Addison Allen