May 08, 2010

Yo ho ho, French Toast for breakfast


A while ago, I made some rum syrup, for some recipe or other. And I liked it so much, it stayed on in the kitchen to be incorporated into anything where a traditional maple syrup might have once gone, or really anything that could use some pirate flavours. Such as pancakes ( a frequent flyer, of late) and this time, by special request, French Toast.

I don't make French Toast all that often. It's easy enough, of course, but it seems rather a lot of work for something ultimately fairly ordinary. This time, however, I used a mild sourdough bread, and with the added bananas and rum syrup, well, I can see myself doing this again, and soon. I am always ridiculously thrilled to have fresh fruit at breakfast, a condition which has only worsened since our trip to Mexico last year, and French Toast provides a terrific vehicle - more so even than pancakes, I think.

Since I am almost constitutionally incapable of having an all-sweet breakfast, we added bacon, which is a fine additional to almost any meal.


If you don't have a favourite recipe for French Toast, you might enjoy this one, which is adapted from the Big Book of Breakfast by Maryana Vollstedt.

Basic French Toast

2 large eggs
1/2 cup 1% milk
dash salt
4 large slices of mild bakery sourdough
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
a little butter, for frying.

Mix the eggs, milk, salt and vanilla and pour into a shallow bowl. Dip the slices of bread briefly into the egg mixture, turning to coat, and put aside on a holding plate until they are all done.

Heat a large skillet over medium, and add a little butter (or canola oil). When the butter has melted (or oil heated) lay in two of the slices (or as many as will fit in a single, uncrowded layer), and cook for about three minutes per side. Remove to a rack in the oven to keep warm until they are all cooked.

Delicious with any sort of syrup, I'm sure, but extra pirate-y with rum syrup.

6 comments:

Jenny said...

I love toasted ones :D

Anyway, that's a banana slices on toppings? looks cool!

kickpleat said...

so tell me more about this rum syrup? sounds amazing.

Dawna said...

Jenny, the bananas are a surprisingly refreshing addition!

Kickpleat, the rum syrup is very simple. Literally! I make a double-strength simple syrup with dark brown sugar (demarara is good), and as it cools, add a nice, strongly flavoured rum - a couple of ounces per cup. The syrup thickens slighly as it cools.

You can, of course, also use whiskey, or bourbon, or a number of other tasty options. When I make it with whiskey, I also add a tiny bit of vanilla extract, too, just to round it out.

Erica said...

This looks like the perfect breakfast!!!Sounds delicious.

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

A perfect breakfast treat!

Cheers,

Rosa

Jewish said...

Really French Toast for breakfast is so nice. I like your blog about Always in the Kitchen. Thanks.