Jam on a Monte Cristo?
I just visited a 'cafe' in Wrightwood CA where I ordered a Monte Cristo Sandwich. Now I'm a pastry chef and I have never heard of a monte cristo made without some type of fruit preserves/jam/jelly ON the sandwich before it's fried. I have always made it with seedless blackberry preserves or currant Jelly. The waitress, kind as she was, popped down a jar of crusted goo that may or may not have been strawberry jelly and said some people like it with this.
Swiss or Gruyere cheese is also on the sandwich or so I thought, but none showed up on mine.
I know most folks dip the bread in egg before frying but I dunk mine in pancake batter and deep fry.
Researching this question I have looked up many recipe from America as well as the french original croque-monsieur which is really nothing more than a grilled ham and cheese.
I have seen recipe's with and without the jam, seems like it just ain't right without it. As my son said, a monte cristo should make you feel like your having desert for lunch, not just a fried sandwich. So which is it? With or without jam