Today’s Spotlight is on French Toast.

French toast is a dish of sliced bread soaked in beaten eggs and often milk or cream, then pan fried. French toast is a breakfast and brunch dish made by soaking bread in a mixture of eggs, milk, and seasonings, then frying it until golden brown. It’s often served with butter, preserves, or syrup.

French toast is also known as:

• Pain perdu (“lost bread”)
• Eggy bread
• Bombay toast
• Gypsy toast
• Poor knights (of Windsor)

French toast has a custard-like center and crispy edges. Thin slices of bread give you crispier results, and thicker slices deliver more of that custardy center. French toast is often used to use up French bread that is a day or two old and has started to dry out.

 

History

French toast is believed to have originated in ancient Rome. The first known recipe for French toast was recorded in Rome around 300 A.D. The recipe was included in the cookbook Cooking and Dining in Imperial Rome by the Roman author Apicius.  The recipe was called “pan dulcis”.

The name “French toast” was first used in 17th-century England. The recipe and name were brought to America by early settlers.  Americans first tasted French toast in 1724 when an innkeeper in Albany, New York replicated the dish. The innkeeper, Joseph French, inadvertently left off the apostrophe when he named his creation “French’s Toast”.

In France, the dish is called “pain perdu” which translates to “lost bread”. The name reflects the use of stale bread, so it doesn’t get “lost”.

Some believe that French toast was created by medieval European cooks who needed to use every bit of food they could find to feed their families.

 

Here are some more fun facts about French toast:

• French toast is high in protein, fat, sodium, selenium, and riboflavin.
• In Scotland, French toast is traditionally served with sausage between two slices of French toast.
• In Great Britain, French toast is sometimes eaten with ketchup.
• French toast is so adored it even has its own National Day on November 28th.
• French toast was often flavored with raisins, sugar, spice, and candied coriander seeds.
• In the United Kingdom, it is sometimes known as Eggy Bread.
• It is a Christmas time dessert in Portugal and Brazil called rabanada.
• It is an Easter dessert in Spain called torrijas.

 

To make French toast, you can:

1. Soak slices of bread in a mixture of beaten eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla.
2. Fry the egg-coated bread in a pan until browned.
3. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Here are some common mistakes when making French toast:

• Not mixing the egg mixture well enough
• Adding too much dairy and sugar to the custard
• Not choosing the right bread
• Under-soaking the bread
• Using too much heat or not enough
• Not preheating the pan
• Only using butter

Other mistakes include:

• Forgetting to dry your bread.
• Using cold ingredients
• Using a low-fat milk
• Not straining the custard
• Cooking over high heat
• Using bread that’s too thick.

The ideal thickness for a slice of French toast is 3/4-1-inch thick.

 

Consumption

According to Tastewise, French toast is consumed 1.6 times per year on average. In 2020, 163.89 million Americans consumed frozen waffles, pancakes, and French toast.

According to Mashed, 16% of people say French toast is their favorite breakfast food. Pancakes are second with 18% of the votes, and waffles are third with 13% of the votes. Matt Stonie, the world’s second-ranked competitive eater, has eaten an enormous stack of French toast on his YouTube channel.

French Chef Jean-Jacques Bernat is famous for making French Toast.

 

Celebrating French Toast

National French Toast Day is celebrated on November 28. It’s a popular breakfast food in the United States.

Here are some recipes for holiday French toast:

• Holiday Morning French Toast: This recipe includes tart apples, raisins, and brown sugar.
• Overnight French Toast Casserole: This recipe includes heavy cream and is perfect for holidays.

You can also try these recipes:

• Holiday French Toast: This recipe includes bananas and coconut milk.
• Easy Overnight French Toast: This recipe includes chopped nuts.

Let us know in the comments about your favorite spin on French Toast.