Okay. So this toast in French doesn’t have anything to do with toasting a bride and groom, nor is it written in French. What I do have for you is a recipe change up on a breakfast favorite; French Toast!
French toast as a child
When I was growing up, french toast was my favorite. If I had to chose between pancakes and french toast, the latter would win every time. As a kid, I used to sit at our breakfast bar and I could watch my mom cook because the breakfast bar sat over the stove top allowing me to see all cooking action going on. I especially loved watching the french toast action because that meant my breakfast would be hot and fresh, right off the skillet. That way the butter would melt properly and then to add warm syrup, the combination was to die for.
But that wasn’t where the french toast fixin’s ended for me, OH NO! I had to add powdered sugar to the mix. The way the powdered sugar soaked up the melted butter and syrup and created this pastie sugary goodness, was even more to die for. I was in seventh heaven. Probably why my mom didn’t make french toast very often.
As an adult, french toast is still a few and far between breakfast menu item, but I did try my childhood concoction a few weeks back and I have to say; OH SNAP! What a sweets overload. Talk about a sugar high. My stomach hurt, my head hurt, I had the shakes most of the day. What was nine year old me thinking?
So back to today’s french toast. I know there are a boat load of recipes,probably handed down from grandma. You can also do a search and be completely bombarded with every version of french toast you can imagine. Some versions say to make the custard the night before, others say leave the bread out overnight to dry out a bit, some add cinnamon to the egg mixture, some add vanilla, some don’t. Possibilities are endless. “So what makes your version so different?” I can hear you asking. I have a secret weapon and a secret time when I use it.
So as you can see, my version calls for the usual suspects, eggs, thick sliced white bread, also known as Texas toast, vanilla and my secret weapon, which I’ll get to in a few. I always like to french toast a whole loaf of bread and freeze any left overs. I have found a whole dozen jumbo eggs will be enough for a whole loaf of thick slice bread.
Now let the Frenching of the toast begin!
Crack the eggs in a mixing bowl. I actually crack eggs in a separate bowl anytime I use eggs in a recipe. This way if an egg shell gets loose, it won’t end up in my recipe. Have you ever crunched on an egg shell that wasn’t supposed to be there? Kind-a ruins the meal. So once all eggs have been cracked, add the vanilla and whip them good. I use a fork, but a whisk works just as well and if your a whipping enthusiast, you can use an electric mixer.
The Secret Weapon
Alright, alright. Before I get too far into making the french toast, I will reveal my secret weapon. It’s a combination of cinnamon and nutmeg. This pair adds a flavor that my family can’t get enough of, and if you are like me and absolutely LOVE the smells of the holidays, when these spices hit the hot skillet, your house is going to smell like Christmas.
2 tsp cinnamon to 3/4 tsp nutmeg.
Now for the cooking
Now that you have your assembly line…..in line, bread, egg mixture, secret weapon, heated skillet or frying pan. You are set and ready to go.
Place slice of bread in the egg mixture. Flip it over allowing both sides to soak it in.
This is where your generously sprinkle the cinnamon/nutmeg blend onto one side of the soaked bread.
Place the cinnamon/nutmeg side down into the frying pan.
Generously sprinkle the up side of the bread with the cinnamon/nutmeg blend. Cook about 1 minute or until the spatula slides easily under the bread. Flip and cook second side about a minute.
Sprinkling the spice blend onto the bread while in the frying pan is where the smells of the holidays begins. At least for me. I think the toasting nutmeg is what does it and I feel like I am back in Autumn, gearing up for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
So it’s good to have the oven or if you have one, toaster oven, set on warm, and as the french toast slices are cooked, place them in the warming oven until all toast has been frenched.
Whoa-Lah! Cinnamon/Nutmeg French Toast.
I cannot and will not promise you that this will be the best french toast you have ever had. Everybody’s tastes are different (who knows, maybe you can handle powdered sugar on yours), but once I figured out this style, I don’t make french toast any other way.