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| Photo by Daniela Constantini: https://www.pexels.com/photo/delicious-breakfast-with-toasts-and-berries-on-table-5591730/ |
Today, November 28th, is National French Toast Day. Imagine, an entire twenty-four hours set aside to celebrate the ooey, gooey egginess that goes so well with maple syrup, bacon, sausage, and powdered sugar. And French Toast isn’t just for breakfast anymore. You can enjoy it any day as often as you like. Don’t wait for its own day to come around each year – make it a weekly treat.
French Toast in many forms has been around a long time. One of the earliest mentions is in a cookbook called Cooking and Dining in Imperial Rome by Apicius in 300 AD.
Throughout history, bread has enjoyed a special status as holy, likely a reference to Christ being the Bread of Life and thus not to be wasted. Yet, without preservatives, keeping the bread fresh was a struggle. So, soaking in anything allowed the consumer to not waste the bread. It’s probably a good reason for bread pudding, turkey stuffing, and croutons, too.
As the population expanded and more countries in Europe came into being, soaking stale bread in eggs and frying it came into fashion, which meant the French adopted it as they did with many other recipes throughout history. In that country, this dish was called pain perdu, or lost bread, referring to the resurrection of stale bread from waste.
In Medieval Europe, the dish was called “poor knight’s pudding” because it was affordable. Most countries had their own version, including Spanish Toast, German Toast, Bombay Toast. In Italy, they add slices of mozzarella cheese and call it Mozzarella En Carrozza.
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| Photo by Magda Ehlers: https://www.pexels.com/photo/slice-of-bread-1586947/ |
In the 1400s, in the court of Henry V, the dish with bread, milk, and eggs, attracted a lot of interest, but it wasn’t until the 1700s that the term French Toast came into use. An interesting note is that the term “French” didn’t mean it originated in France, but rather came from an Old Irish word meaning “to slice”.
In traditional English breakfasts, if a slice of bread fell into the frying pan, they added milk and an egg, creating a dish they called a la tripe.
Just as a rose by any other name is still a rose, French Toast by any other name is still a warm and loving addition to any meal. It is also known as Eggy Bread, Omelet Bread, Gypsy Toast, Nun’s Toast, and Torrijas (traditionally topped with cinnamon and honey).
It’s believed that Irish settlers emigrating to Canada and the United States in the 1800s brought the recipe with them. The name French Toast first appeared in The Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink in 1871.
In traditional English breakfasts, if a slice of bread fell into the frying pan, they added milk and an egg, creating a dish they called a la tripe.
Just as a rose by any other name is still a rose, French Toast by any other name is still a warm and loving addition to any meal. It is also known as Eggy Bread, Omelet Bread, Gypsy Toast, Nun’s Toast, and Torrijas (traditionally topped with cinnamon and honey).
It’s believed that Irish settlers emigrating to Canada and the United States in the 1800s brought the recipe with them. The name French Toast first appeared in The Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink in 1871.
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| Photo by Маргарита Колван: https://www.pexels.com/photo/painting-of-people-cooking-a-fried-egg-8484472/ |
A less exotic theory of the name is that the reference to France allowed chefs and restaurants to inflate the price of the low-cost dish. And that could be more true than we like to admit. After all, “Lost Bread” or “Gypsy Bread” wouldn’t have the same attraction.
Whatever you call it, go ahead and splurge today. And tomorrow. And next week.
Question: What is your favorite side with French Toast? Leave a comment, and remember to cleverly disguise your email address so we can get in touch if you win – and I will gift one lucky winner with a digital copy of Cooking Up Trouble.
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Up-Trouble-Contest-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CGKFS338
Whatever you call it, go ahead and splurge today. And tomorrow. And next week.
Question: What is your favorite side with French Toast? Leave a comment, and remember to cleverly disguise your email address so we can get in touch if you win – and I will gift one lucky winner with a digital copy of Cooking Up Trouble.
Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Up-Trouble-Contest-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0CGKFS338
About Cooking Up Trouble:
An unsuitable match to satisfy a debt. Can Holly find another solution?
An unsuitable calling--a man in the kitchen. Practically unheard of. Can Adam find the strength to step into his purpose in life?
Or will they both resist God and make their own way?
An unsuitable match to satisfy a debt. Can Holly find another solution?
An unsuitable calling--a man in the kitchen. Practically unheard of. Can Adam find the strength to step into his purpose in life?
Or will they both resist God and make their own way?
A hybrid author, Donna writes squeaky clean historical and contemporary suspense. She has been published more than 60 times in books; is a member of several writers' groups; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, traveling extensively for both, and is an avid oil painter
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Resources:
https://www.google.com/search?q=history+of+national+french+toast+day
https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-french-toast-day-november-28
Thank you for posting today, and Happy Thanksgiving! I don't know if you call it a side, but I enjoy my French toast with just a dash of maple syrup and butter.
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