I sure do love an adventure! Taking a trip activates my senses: new sights, smells, and sensations truly make me feel more alive and inspire me to recreate them when I get home.

It might surprise you to know that I love the vibrance, the heartbeat, and the rush of a city. I love waking up in another city and feeling so grateful for the moment. I miss it.

Since most of us are not getting on planes these days, let’s take a virtual vacation. I hope you’ll enjoy my trip with Lucy and the truly spectacular sandwich that we still reminisce about.

Seeing other worlds with Lucy has been so good for us, and it’s so much more fun traveling with someone you love. We like to do the same things: enjoy the museums, explore the city on foot, eat delicious meals, and definitely stop for cocktails.

On our magical trip to Paris, Lucy and I had one of the best things we’ve ever eaten: the truly amazing Croque Monsieur from Buvette Gastrothèque in the ninth arrondissement. A Croque Monsieur is a griddled ham and cheese sandwich that originated in French cafés and bars. The name comes from the French verb croquer ("to crunch") and monsieur, which translates to "mister." (A Croque Madame is a Croque Monsieur with a fried egg on top. It’s also utterly delicious.)

Recently, I tracked down the chef and asked if she’d share that sublime sandwich with you. So, included this week is the recipe straight from Buvette, her cookbook. It is an absolute must-do for the family. And if you’re able to, I hope you will visit Buvette Gastrothèque someday. You don’t have to go to Paris--the beautiful thing is that there are several, both in New York and overseas. And guess what! They have carryout. You absolutely won’t be sorry.

I love to create my own sandwich masterpieces as well. There’s something about the combination of crunchy bread and melted cheese that just thrills me. There’s an art to curating a beautiful sandwich. It starts with luscious bread (whether gluten-free or gluten-full) and a wonderful protein.

If you make it yourself with my Eye of Round or Everyday Roast Chicken Breast, all the better, because, like a salad, a sandwich is only as good as its ingredients. I love mine griddled. I add a really spectacular sauce, like one of my Magic Elixirs, beautiful greens (salted, with a hint of vinaigrette), and a surprise element, like a wonderful jam that complements the cheese, or caramelized onions. 

Recently, I created a masterpiece that was met with rave reviews: crusty bread, a couple of cheeses, and one of my new Magic Elixirs, Sweet and Savory Caramelized Onions. A secret sweet ingredient transforms the onions into a savory jam when it’s added midway through the caramelizing. I used cheddar and fontina cheeses, because fontina has such a lovely melt. The result was simply sublime. 

Choosing and combining lovely ingredients that your favorite eaters will enjoy is absolutely a healing art. It would be no exaggeration to say that my sandwiches have been known to move some people to tears. I hope this week’s issue will inspire you to create a masterpiece of your own.

A CR'Q Monsieur is basically grilled cheese as seen through a decadent French lens. A constant on our menu at Buvette, we serve plenty of these at lunch and after 11pm, when we put them back on the menu. They are great for a party, since you can assemble a tray of CR'Qs ahead of time and simply pop them into the oven when guests arrive.
 
Jody Williams, Chef Owner
@buvettelondon @buvettenyc @buvettetokyo @buvetteparis
ilovebuvette.com

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Beautiful photos, crazy delicious and healthy recipes, and Teri’s takes on cooking and life—what’s not to love? My most recent new recipe is her Garlic Confit—so good!

Karen Holden, Super Crumble
@holdenon2jc
Camarillo, California