Focus on food: February 27, 2007

Homemade French Toast

Did you know that French Toast was most likely created back in Medieval times? The simple mixture of bread, eggs, and milk were added to stale bread in order to create a revised meal. French toast is an easy food to prepare and can be enjoyed for any meal of the day.

The following recipe is from our Westport Cooks Archives and a previous class with Michal Frady. You can use this recipe and add your own style as you make fresh Homemade French Toast.

Ingredients:
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla
• 8 slices of bread - see variations

Directions:
• Whip the eggs with milk, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

•Heat the griddle or skillet.

•Dip bread into egg mixture with tongs and allow excess to drip off.

• Place dipped toast onto the hot skillet. Cook until light golden brown color on the first side. Turn over and cook until done.

French Toast Variations:
At the Barn Restaurant, our standard bread for French toast is sliced extra thick, which is sometimes called Texas toast. French toast, also known as Pain Perdue (Lost Bread) is traditionally made with sliced left over French bread.
Many other breads can be used including plain white, raisin, sliced Portuguese sweet bread or cobblestone bread.

As an added treat, extra thick bread may be filled prior to dipping in the egg mixture. Simply slice the bread with a serrated knife, stopping before reaching the end so that the slice remains connected. Spread the filling inside and fold the bread back together. Some great fillings are cream cheese (soften and beat the cream cheese in a mixer to make the cheese spreadable), jam filling, or sliced cheese and cooked bacon.

Toppings:
Flavored syrups-heat maple syrup or blended syrup with orange zest or orange juice or any other flavoring you'd like to try. Crème Anglaise
Fresh fruit topping, may be warmed first
Fruit coulis topping-heat fruit with water and sugar, puree and pour over toast.
Nuts and coconut may be used as additional topping.