How many of you plan your Disney trips around the food? I know I sure do! Knowing what is going to go inside of my mouth while I’m in the Disney parks is just as important to me as what attractions I’ll be going on. And Disney definitely knows how to do good food and I don’t think I’ve ever been completely disappointed in a meal at either Disneyland or Walt Disney World!
One of Disneyland’s most iconic meals is the Monte Cristo. This delectable sandwich has a humble beginning of turkey, ham, and swiss but is them battered and deep fried to a lovely golden brown! If you order this at the Blue Bayou restaurant it is then served with a delicious berry jam & crème anglaise sauce.
However, most special occasions the Hubby & I actually find ourselves celebrating with a Monte Cristo at Cafe Orleans, which serves it along with just the berry jam. The perk to ordering this at Cafe Orleans though is that you can also order the Pommes Frites as well! These are Disney’s yummy fries but with an added bonus of extra seasoning including garlic, parmesan, & parsley! And they come with the most delicious cajun remoulade sauce for dipping, which we always ask for extra of! It might sound plain but believe me, these are sooo delicious!
If you're gluten free for any reason, you can make a special request at Cafe Orleans or Blue Bayou to have a gluten free version of the Monte Cristo! And if you’re a vegetarian you can order the three cheese version of the Monte Cristo that completely nixes the meat at Cafe Orleans! The Blue Bayou does have a wonderful ambience (I DO love that banjo) but Cafe Orleans is nestled right in the heart of New Orleans Square & if you ask to sit outside, you can see the Rivers of America! My point being, if you haven’t already enjoyed a meal at Cafe Orleans, you really really should!
One of Disneyland’s most iconic meals is the Monte Cristo. This delectable sandwich has a humble beginning of turkey, ham, and swiss but is them battered and deep fried to a lovely golden brown! If you order this at the Blue Bayou restaurant it is then served with a delicious berry jam & crème anglaise sauce.
However, most special occasions the Hubby & I actually find ourselves celebrating with a Monte Cristo at Cafe Orleans, which serves it along with just the berry jam. The perk to ordering this at Cafe Orleans though is that you can also order the Pommes Frites as well! These are Disney’s yummy fries but with an added bonus of extra seasoning including garlic, parmesan, & parsley! And they come with the most delicious cajun remoulade sauce for dipping, which we always ask for extra of! It might sound plain but believe me, these are sooo delicious!
If you're gluten free for any reason, you can make a special request at Cafe Orleans or Blue Bayou to have a gluten free version of the Monte Cristo! And if you’re a vegetarian you can order the three cheese version of the Monte Cristo that completely nixes the meat at Cafe Orleans! The Blue Bayou does have a wonderful ambience (I DO love that banjo) but Cafe Orleans is nestled right in the heart of New Orleans Square & if you ask to sit outside, you can see the Rivers of America! My point being, if you haven’t already enjoyed a meal at Cafe Orleans, you really really should!
Anyway, enough about Disney’s versions, I’m actually here to talk about a recent endeavor I had in my own kitchen! That’s right, this Ghostess tried her hands at some Disney recipes & I recreated Disney’s Monte Cristo & Pommes Frites right in my own kitchen! And guess what?! It wasn’t even as hard as I thought it was going to be so I did it not once, but twice! At first I was just going to make the sandwiches alone, but since I was already going to have to heat up oil on my stove, I decided to go for the gusto and also do the Pommes Frites, thus remaking the entire Cafe Orleans experience at home!
First I was able to obtain the Monte Cristo recipe from my lovely friend Bonnie! The recipe was actually handed out as part of last year's special Disneyland AP Days and that is how she got them! Thanks to Bonnie, here are pictures of the recipe for you to use:
First I was able to obtain the Monte Cristo recipe from my lovely friend Bonnie! The recipe was actually handed out as part of last year's special Disneyland AP Days and that is how she got them! Thanks to Bonnie, here are pictures of the recipe for you to use:
![Picture](/uploads/9/0/8/6/9086866/editor/img-0608w-1.jpg?1498868765)
Since this is mirrored after the Blue Bayou version, it gives the recipe for the crème anglaise sauce. However, since I’m mostly used to eating the Cafe Orleans version that actually doesn’t come with this, I did not make the crème anglaise sauce. Instead I actually found a very, very close substitute on the store shelf for Disney’s berry jam! I have included a picture below, but the product is Smucker’s Fruit & Honey Triple Berry fruit spread. It’s made with strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries whereas I’ve heard Disney’s version is made with raspberries instead of the blueberries, it tastes nearly identical to me!
The first time I made it I remembered to sprinkle the sandwich with powdered sugar, but the second time I totally forgot this step. You’d think it wasn’t too important but my taste buds definitely felt like something was missing and I realized it later while I was looking back at the pictures! If you attempt this recipe, try not to skip this small step!
The first time I made it I remembered to sprinkle the sandwich with powdered sugar, but the second time I totally forgot this step. You’d think it wasn’t too important but my taste buds definitely felt like something was missing and I realized it later while I was looking back at the pictures! If you attempt this recipe, try not to skip this small step!
I found the recipe for the Pommes Frites over at A Dole Whip A Day! For my first attempt, I found that the cheese didn’t really want to “stick” to the fries, so when I made it a second time I used waffle fries instead so there was a flat surface for the cheese to rest on. I’m not sure if Disney has a secret to getting their cheese to stick. I have heard that Disney actually uses a cheese called Grana Padano, which is a close cousin to parmesan but not quite the same. Maybe it’s more sticky? I couldn’t find that cheese in my local super market, so I just used regular parmesan that I grated fresh. I did not make the remoulade because I did not have all the ingredients necessary.
Overall both attempts came out delicious and I would probably attempt it again, although maybe for a special treat where I have more people to serve, since I always feel like Monte Cristos are best shared! I put toothpicks through the sandwich before dipping into the batter to help keep the sandwich together during cooking & just removed the toothpicks before serving. My version was clearly not as fluffy as Disney’s and I skipped the yellow food coloring so it does look more pale than the original, but I promise it was still just the right amount of crispy! I would encourage you to try this recipe at home yourself, especially if it’s going to be a long time before you’re able to visit the Parks and need to bring a little extra Disney into your life! You won’t be disappointed!
Overall both attempts came out delicious and I would probably attempt it again, although maybe for a special treat where I have more people to serve, since I always feel like Monte Cristos are best shared! I put toothpicks through the sandwich before dipping into the batter to help keep the sandwich together during cooking & just removed the toothpicks before serving. My version was clearly not as fluffy as Disney’s and I skipped the yellow food coloring so it does look more pale than the original, but I promise it was still just the right amount of crispy! I would encourage you to try this recipe at home yourself, especially if it’s going to be a long time before you’re able to visit the Parks and need to bring a little extra Disney into your life! You won’t be disappointed!