52 days... A Tribute to French Toast

A slow start to this Sunday began with the momentous move from bed to lounging on the couch, sipping at a cup of coffee. A slight drizzle and the occasional breeze through the park trees were the morning's soundtrack through the open window. I could smell someone cooking - truly incredible since I have a terrible to non-existent sense of smell - and it smelled decadently delicious.

My unrefined and broken sniffer couldn't place just what was being made for breakfast, but french toast came to mind. I had a short-lived internal struggle... will I be satisfied with some toast and jam? Do I want to venture outside to buy the needed eggs and milk to make my craving? Do I really need to shower if I'm just going to the store a few blocks away?

So after throwing my Red Sox cap on and some sneakers, 20 minutes later found me making french toast in my disaster of a kitchen. Attempting to be frugal, I didn't buy bread, just figured I'd use the last of the wheat bread I already had. I did splurge on maple syrup though. I couldn't resist the amber stuff that was made in New Hampshire, especially after reading 'high fructose corn syrup' as the first ingredient in Aunt Jemima's.

making french toast

I'm a pretty inexperienced and admittedly awful cook, but I figured I could handle french toast. I remembered my cousin Danny used to make it for me and his sister Jaime when we were kids. Mine turned out not too shabby. Although next time I'll spring for some nice thick bread, maybe even go for challah.

After my tummy was full of french toast, I got curious about the stuff. Ever wondered why it's called french toast? Well, here's what I could find out:
It's not really French. Shocker. Like french fries. But according to the all-knowing wikipedia, "french toast" can be found in print in the US as early as 1871. And the Oxford English Dictionary cites usages of "french toast" in English as early as 1660.

The origins of the recipe are unknown, although a version appears in the 4th century Roman cookbook Apicius. This recipe was also known as Pan Dulcis. French toast is found in what seems like every country and culture, granted with different variations and names.

The French call it pain perdu, or literally "lost bread", since it is a way of using stale - or "lost"- bread. In the United Kingdom it is called 'eggy bread' or 'gypsy toast'. In Germany, Norway, Denmark and Russia it is called 'poor knights'.

Some variations to the simple recipe of soaking bread in an egg and milk mixture, then frying include substituting milk with wine or port, serving it cold, and serving it not as a sweet dish, but as salty. In Hungary it is served with onions and tomatoes, mayonnaise or ketchup. There is also stuffed french toast. Commonly in North America you can find fruits or something sweet sandwiched between the bread, then dipped in egg mixture and pan-fried. French toast can also be baked.

In my quest for knowledge about french toast, I also found a quick and whimsical solution:

http://www.worldwidefred.com/frenchtoast.htm

A little Tour Eiffel with your breakfast toast, oh pardonez-moi... your French toast!

And to wax philosophical for moment, I'd like to paraphrase from this really interesting artist's website,  http://www.frenchtoastgirl.com/:

"The basic philosophy of the french toast girl is this: life (like french toast) is made up of simple ingredients that combine to make up a marvelous concoction we often take for granted. It's time to relish all the wonderful flavors in your life. And by the way, if you aren't crazy about the way your life tastes, remember: you're the one who controls how much sweetness goes on top, or if it's soggy and underdone. So savor the simplicity and the magic that is french toast. ... I also just really like french toast" ...Amen sister!