on Mar 06, 2015, Updated Jun 07, 2023 14 Comments A few years ago – well, more than a few now, but let’s not count – Bart surprised me with a trip to Paris for my birthday. Before you start thinking he is ultra-extravagant (even though he is the best person I know for doing above and beyond for others), there is a story to the trip. It was when the site Priceline first became popular. Remember then? How that site worked in those days (please don’t say the olden days!) was you entered an amount that you would pay for airfare or hotel or whatever service you were interested in. If your price was accepted, you got it! For some reason, the phrase, “I won a trip!” was usually the answer to getting a winning bid, even though you had still had to pay. It was really kind of comical if you think about it. Anyway, I digress. So, the week before my birthday that January, he entered the price of $150 for roundtrip airfare to Paris. And… he won! I’m sure it was largely due to the time of year, the last minute nature of trying to make arrangements, and luck being in the stars, but still… he won. So, for the week of my birthday, we stayed in a small flat near the Champs-Élysées. It was one of my favorite birthday surprises ever. While there, we ate fresh baked croissants and fruit in the mornings with coffee so strong it would force us awake and ready for the day. We strolled through the city soaking in as much of it as possible until we were hungry again in the afternoons and would stop into a small cafe to share a Croque Monsieur and pomme frites. We loved them. Everything about them. In reality, we loved everything about our trip and hated how quickly the days seemed to pass before it was over. Back home, I’ve made Croque Monsieur for us on numerous occasions, but when Bart perfected his sandwich bread recipe, I knew just what sandwiches I wanted to make with it first. These. Boy, was I taken right back to that week and I didn’t even have to enter a bid. Here’s my Croque Monsieur Recipe. I hope you love them as much as we do! Enjoy!Robyn xo
