Croque monsieur

Butter both slices of bread; if the bread is soft, melt the butter and brush it on instead of spreading hard butter.

Lay one slice of cheese on the bread, then the ham, then a second slice of cheese, and close the sandwich.

Variation, 1900s version: trim the hard crust off every side and corner of the bread first, leaving only the white of the bread, then butter and fill it the same way.

Variation, 1900s version: wrap the assembled sandwich in kitchen string, crossing it over both faces, knot it into a parcel and cut the excess string off.

Set a frying pan on very low heat and melt a good knob of butter.

Put the sandwich in and move it around to coat it in the butter.

Cook on low four minutes a side, adding more butter before turning.

Turn the heat off and hold on the side before cutting.

Variation, 1900s version: untie and remove the string before slicing.