French Toast Day

How will you celebrate French Toast Day? Will you whip up a batch for breakfast or enjoy it for dinner? Will you serve your French Toast with butter and maple syrup or dust it with powdered sugar and top it with fruit?

French toast has many names depending on where it’s being served: eggy bread, German toast, poor knights’ pudding, Bombay toast, pain perdu, and mozzarella en carrozza. It’s always made with the same key ingredients—egg, milk, and bread.

Even though we call this yummy dish French Toast, its origins aren’t known to come from France. Some ancient Latin recipes from the 4th century mention soaking bread in milk before frying. In 14th century Germany, the term “poor knights’ pudding” was coined because it was an affordable meal for those without too much money.

I’ve included a basic recipe. Be sure to use stale bread, as it soaks up the tasty egg mixture without falling apart. To brighten the recipe, add a squeeze of fresh orange juice. To make it more delectable, stuff with sautéed apples. Nuts and seeds add crunch. To make kid friendly, cut into sticks. Top with syrup, jam, fruit, honey, or even a dollop of whipped cream.

I know what I’m serving for dinner! What about you?

Basic French Toast Recipe:

Crack an egg in a medium bowl. Add 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix together. Heart a pan with 1 teaspoon butter on medium heat. Dip both sides of a slice of bread in mixture. Fry on both sides until brown.

Nancy Roe
Author