French Toast - Tres Elegant

The History of French Toast

It's clear the way to save those last remnants of bread may have been the early beginnings of the preparation of French Toast. 4th Century Romans documented the first semblance of what is known today as the ultimate in elegant breakfast food.

The Art of French Toast

Cooks know French Toast is a breakfast meal that most people love. How can they not? French Toast combines bread, egg, milk and cinnamon to result in a breakfast treat that recalls memories of home-style family meals. French Toast is simple to make. The ingredients for basic French Toast are minimal:

1. Day old bread
2. Beaten eggs (the number depends on the quantity to be made)
3. Milk (half and half or evaporated milk can be substituted)
4. Cinnamon - about a half teaspoon

Prepare a griddle to medium high heat.

Blend eggs, milks and cinnamon in a bowl large enough to fit bread slices. Then, dredge the bread slices into the egg batter. Place the bread slices onto the heated griddle and cook until brown on one side. Turn and brown the opposite side.

Variations On A French Toast Theme

Many cooks have secret ingredients they add to their basic batter for French Toast. A half teaspoon of vanilla, lemon, almond or rum flavoring are a few. Another secret is to use thick slices of day old French bread instead of regular-sized slices. For an adult brunch, serve French Toast made from a batter with the added ingredients of Frangelico or Grand Marnier liqueur. For the kids, blend about a spoonful each of peanut butter and honey to the batter to make it "kid friendly". Some cooks don't grill their French Toast. Instead, they use a Bain Marie (water bath). The French Toast is placed in a large baking dish. A second larger baking dish that can accommodate the smaller one is filled with water. The smaller baking dish is placed into the water and baked for about 20-25 minutes. The result is a light, almost souffle-like French Toast.

French Toast, French Toast, How Shall I Top Thee?

French Toast has no sugar added, although it can be. Depending on the recipe, the toppings for French Toast are quite variable. It's all a matter of epicurean creativity. The simplest topping is a combination of cinnamon and sugar or butter and maple syrup which is most common in the US. Confectioners sugar, honey, molasses, jams and preserves, cottage or cream cheeses, fresh sliced fruit or stewed cooked fruits like apples and bananas are among other French Toast toppings.

The World Loves French Toast

Italians create a kind of French Toast that may be stuffed. A pocket is slit into the bread and Italian cheeses like mozzarella or asiago is stuffed into the pocket, along with fresh basil. It's dipped into an egg batter and fried. Modern Italians make mozzarella in carrozza in several ways. In this recipe, two slices of Italian bread are dipped into egg batter. A filling of mozzarella, diced tomatoes, manicotti, parsley and diced green pepper are blended with a little of the egg batter. The filling is placed between the slices of bread and fried. It's served with a small dollup of tomato sauce and a sprig of fresh Italian parsley. Since Italians rarely have a full course breakfast, this is served at midday or for a snack.

French Toast - Not Just For Breakfast

French Toast is basically bread that's been coated with an egg batter. This means that there's a wealth of ingredients that makes French Toast ideal for any meal. French Toast can be frozen, although it may not retain freshness for longer than a week or two. Whenever you make French Toast for breakfast, make extra for freezing. It's convenient and saves scurrying about for a quick menu. Be inventive when choosing breads for this dish. It needn't be white, Italian or French bread. Try Challah for breakfast French Toast and Pumpernickel for luncheon French Toast with liverwurst and freshly sliced purple onion. The bread should be day old. Fresh bread tends to fall apart in the batter.

There's A Place In Every Menu For French Toast

Bacon, breakfast ham or sausage are a good accompaniment to French Toast to get a morning off to a good start. For ladies who lunch, there's French Toast topped with watercress mayonnaise and Gruyere cheese. Turn French Toast into small, delicate finger sandwiches by cutting each bread slice into quarters, stack one atop another and fill with liver pate or cold cucumber with a mint mayonnaise. At dinner, French Toast make a very filling meal. Prepare French Toast with egg batter. Grill lightly. Add sliced turkey and a turkey mole sauce. Or use French Toast as the base for Lobster ala King.

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