french toast

I decided that breakfast, for the first day of summer vacation, was to be special. We usually rush through it, having bagels, or tartines, oatmeal or cold cereal, fruit and juice. But this morning, since our plans were rained out, I decided to make French Toast.

We had French Toast often when I was a kid, and I've been making them for years, but I never knew just how good they could be if you follow a recipe! Before Alton Brown's recipe came along, I whisked a couple of eggs, added a splash of milk, vanilla and cinnamon before using whatever kind of "sandwich bread" we had on hand and cooking it in a pan with cooking spray. It made decent breakfast.

But this recipe produces really insane French Toast, not to be confused with a healthy breakfast. Well, if you're having French Toast, I can assume you're not going for healthy, since you're most likely going to pour maple syrup all over it. It's a treat!

French Toast
recipe adapted from Alton Brown

1 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 (1/2-inch) slices day-old challah bread (egg bread)
4 tablespoons butter

In medium bowl (large enough for a slice of bread to fit in), whisk together the milk, eggs, syrup, and salt.
Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan.
Dip bread into mixture, coating it with the egg on each side.
Place 2-4 slices of bread at a time into the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 3 minutes per side.  Repeat with all 8 slices. Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream or fruit.

Alton uses half and half. Yeah, that's decadent all right, but I used whole milk, since I had some on hand. He also uses honey, but I don't really get that, so I just use maple syrup instead. And no vanilla or cinnamon. Surprisingly, I don't even miss them! The egg bread is very important here. It's really worth buying a loaf, just to make this. Alton lets it soak in the egg mixture for 30 seconds on each side, but I hate, HATE, soggy French Toast, so I just dip it and fry it. Frying is the key word. You need the butter. It really brings the French Toast to a whole other level.

Local strawberries are nice and ripe, and I can't resist adding them to anything and everything. They were great with these french toast. A beautiful way to start summer vacation!