Great story!! It brought me back to my first of many trips to Europe in 1972. I was 10 and totally obsessed with how absolutely stunning and elegant Princess Grace was, despite having wonderful, loving, generous parents of my own, I wanted to be adopted by the Famille Grimaldi! I literally fantasized about which window in the palace would be my room and how Caroline would take me shopping…seriously, this story just brought it all back!! I also had to have all the memorabilia from every souvenir shop in Monaco. Dozens of picture postcards of the royal family, a deck of cards with Prince Rainier and Princess Grace depicted as the Kings and Queens, oh and those little plastic photo pyramid keychains that you would hold up to the light to see yet another royal family photo. Even now, when I see pics of Grace Kelly as a movie star, I feel like I had a very special connection to her in my head! Now, you’ve added a new trigger. I will also think of her when I make and/or eat a Croque Madame! Thank you! 😎
Fabulous yet again! I too was obsessed with Grace Kelly. In 1983 I attained my dream of working for CBS in SF, I was the second woman to have been hired in sales. We had to abide by the dress code of standard business suits that could be grey, black or navy blue. The other woman and I lobbied for something more suitable for us. My sales manager (who knew me from my work at another radio station) asked "Robin, you always look well put together and it is feminine yet professional. How can we describe that to HR." I told the truth, that since I was a teenager I always asked myself daily, "what would Grace Kelly wear?" I still do!
There was awhile, it was when I was a logger on Vancouver Island, so roughly 44 years ago, that every time I went to Van on a break, every restaurant was serving croque monsieur or croque madame sandwiches. They were such a thing! We felt so cosmopolitan eating them with a side of patates frites and a Caesar (like a Bloody Mary but with clamato juice) . And Princess Grace! What a beauty! Princesses should not go in cars. Pumpkin carriages or yachts for them.
What I really loved about this piece was that as questions were gathering in my head (sauces, subs, cardiologist) you answered all of them, and you even threw in a twist that made me gasp at the end, brilliant!
Croaked Madame omg 😂
A lost day on all fronts! Lol
Great story!! It brought me back to my first of many trips to Europe in 1972. I was 10 and totally obsessed with how absolutely stunning and elegant Princess Grace was, despite having wonderful, loving, generous parents of my own, I wanted to be adopted by the Famille Grimaldi! I literally fantasized about which window in the palace would be my room and how Caroline would take me shopping…seriously, this story just brought it all back!! I also had to have all the memorabilia from every souvenir shop in Monaco. Dozens of picture postcards of the royal family, a deck of cards with Prince Rainier and Princess Grace depicted as the Kings and Queens, oh and those little plastic photo pyramid keychains that you would hold up to the light to see yet another royal family photo. Even now, when I see pics of Grace Kelly as a movie star, I feel like I had a very special connection to her in my head! Now, you’ve added a new trigger. I will also think of her when I make and/or eat a Croque Madame! Thank you! 😎
Fabulous yet again! I too was obsessed with Grace Kelly. In 1983 I attained my dream of working for CBS in SF, I was the second woman to have been hired in sales. We had to abide by the dress code of standard business suits that could be grey, black or navy blue. The other woman and I lobbied for something more suitable for us. My sales manager (who knew me from my work at another radio station) asked "Robin, you always look well put together and it is feminine yet professional. How can we describe that to HR." I told the truth, that since I was a teenager I always asked myself daily, "what would Grace Kelly wear?" I still do!
Bless this story! Thank you for sharing, what a treat. xx
I’m so glad to have discovered your blog. Your writing feels like I’m sitting next to the best guest at a dinner party
Oh my god. Saving this. It looks like it will be even better than the orange thing.
Is it horrible that I do not like ham? Can I eat this without the ham? Would she be more alive then?
First, kudos to @Sarah Clark for adding an image of Dean Martin to this already richly populated essay.
Second, I'm SO PLEASED to learn that there's someone else in the world who doesn't believe in white pepper.
There was awhile, it was when I was a logger on Vancouver Island, so roughly 44 years ago, that every time I went to Van on a break, every restaurant was serving croque monsieur or croque madame sandwiches. They were such a thing! We felt so cosmopolitan eating them with a side of patates frites and a Caesar (like a Bloody Mary but with clamato juice) . And Princess Grace! What a beauty! Princesses should not go in cars. Pumpkin carriages or yachts for them.
What I really loved about this piece was that as questions were gathering in my head (sauces, subs, cardiologist) you answered all of them, and you even threw in a twist that made me gasp at the end, brilliant!
Some of your best recipe writing ever.
I don't know how proficient your brother was with the French language but maybe he kept hearing it pronounced "Croaked Madame"?
🎶 A Bechamel sauce with a fine cheesy gloss, that’s a Mornay…
Yum! My favorite brunch sandwich! Except, around these parts, we call it the Princess Stephanie Was Driving and Everybody Knows It.
Mighty tasty by any name!
Mmmmm. All of this is completely delicious, in every meaning of the word. And I will say a prayer for you to St. John of God ❤️.