FRENCH TOAST

French toast
French toast
Fridays I like French toast most
With French coffee that I roast.
I don’t wish to brag or boast:
Coast to coast I’m French toast host.

© 2010 Douglas Florian. All rights reserved.

C’est fabuleux! But — there’s just one leetle problem. Bien sûr, in all the world, there is no finer French toast host than Monsieur Dooglas, and we love his café and his cozy French country inn.

*kisses fingertips*

But now that we’re all Frenched up, we begin to dream of Moet Chandon,

 photo by wvfonseca.

or deep fried frog legs:

 photo by chewy chua.

We expect a French chef to prepare all our meals,

photo by dixpix2009.

which must be served on Limoges:

photo by mkblucas.

At this very moment we simply must wrap our lips around a truly French petit déjeuner! But Monsieur Dooglas, ever the coquin, toys with us yet again!!

 Challah French Toast by Le Petrin.

NOT-SO-FRENCH TOAST

Ingredients

1 cup of milk
3 large eggs
3 T. maple syrup (the real stuff, please)
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of salt
puny pinch of pepper
2 T. butter
4 slices bread (sliced Challah works nice for me)

Into a bowl wide enough to hold the sliced bread, whisk eggs, syrup, cinnamon, salt and pepper together while half the butter is melting on a large (12″) skillet with medium heat. When it’s hot, add 2 slices of the soaked bread. Don’t turn over the piece till browned. Add a bit more butter before the next 2 pieces. Serve with powdered sugar or more syrup, and lots of real coffee. If you want French French toast, add a frog’s leg or two, or serve it on a plate made in France, or hire a French chef.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

**To French or not to French, that eez the burning question! Does French toast really come from France? The first recorded recipe dates back to ancient Rome (Apicius), and this dish was popular among Medieval European cooks. Likely the Spanish version, “torrijas,” predated the French pain perdu (“lost bread”). French toast was originally called “German Toast” in England and America before WWI, when it was changed because of anti-German sentiment. But no matter who thought of it first, it’s a dang fine way to use up stale bread. ☺

Merci beaucoups, Monsieur Florian! Vous êtes brilliant!
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Douglas Florian is a multiple award-winning poet-painter and self-proclaimed authorstrator who likes to break the rules. A recipient of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, Douglas has published over 30 children’s books, the most recent being Poetrees (Beach Lane Books, 2010), which I reviewed here. His abstract art has been featured in solo and group exhibitions around the Northeast, and his interests include homey apathy, mustard and ketchup, Paul Klee, the natural world, having fun, and deep thinking. I share his fondness for brown paper bags, rubber stamps, Maira Kalman, NYC, Chinese food, and taking quirky poetic license whenever possible. Douglas blogs at the Florian Cafe: Poetry Commotion, and whether he claims to be French or not, remains one of my favorite artistes.

Today’s Poetry Friday Roundup is at Anastasia Suen’s Picture Book of the Day.