Saturday, August 20, 2011

Satisfy The Carnal Desire for Breakfast


The need to satisfy the beast of a craving for breakfast on a Saturday morning after one of those long Friday nights, it's what we all need. But what to make when all that you want is to have that cup of coffee and just recover! Or even on that lazy Saturday morning when you don't want to do anything at all; but you must. carpe diem! Let's look at this alleged french toast...

The earliest official mention of French toast is in the Apicius, a collection of Latin recipes dating back to the 4th or 5th century. The Brothers Grimm mention it as Arme Ritter in the Deutsches Wörterbuch, quoting from the Buch von guter Spyse, which dates back to the 14th century. Another early mention is in the time of the reign of Henry V, when it was known as pain perdu in England. Pain perdu means "lost bread"; stale bread that might have otherwise been thrown away could be used for this dish.

The Oxford English Dictionary cites usages of "French toast" in a book called The Accomplisht Cook in 1660, which listed a recipe for French toast (toasted bread with wine, orange juice, and sugar). The Dictionary of American Food and Drink states the first egg-based recipe appeared in print in 1870. A similar dish, suppe dorate, was popular in England during the Middle Ages, although the English might have learned it from the Normans, who had a dish called tostees dorees.

In the US especially in the west and southwestern US it is prepared with sourdough. In the east coast especially in jewish-american households it is traditional to use leftover challa (jewish bread used for sabbath) the next morning to make french toast. In the UK it is known as eggy bread, or gypsy toast. At one point Cher had made this dish very poopular with Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves.

In France, Belgium, New Orleans, Acadiana, Newfoundland and the Congo, French toast is called pain perdu, which means "lost bread" in French. It is called "lost bread" because it is a way to reclaim stale or "lost" bread. The hard bread is softened by dipping in a mixture of milk and eggs, and then fried. The bread is sliced on a bias and dipped into a mixture of egg, milk, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. The slices are pan-fried in butter and traditionally served dusted with powdered sugar and jam on the side. Alternatively, it may be served with syrup.

In New Orleans, pain perdu is a local variation of French toast. It is made from leftover New Orleans-style French bread. The bread resembles a French baguette, but has a crunchier exterior and a lighter interior. It is eaten for breakfast in New Orleans. NOTE: In France, pain perdu is considered to be a dessert and not a breakfast food item

Carnal Satisfaction French Toast Casserole
car·nal [kahr-nl] adjective
   1. pertaining to or characterized by the flesh or the body, itspassions and appetites; sensual: carnal pleasures.
Fuck the french, eat French Toast Casserole in the morning whatever day of the week you desire, fulfill the carnal desire for breakfast! On with the recipe! What a way to start a weekend I'll say. This recipe is a fan favorite! I just used it recently at a brunch where it was an absolute hit! I love it because you don't have to prep in the morning, just throw on the coffee and the oven...
  • 1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup packed brown Sugar
  • 1 loaf french bread/long baguette; sourdough or regulare (works best with day old or "stale" bread) 
  • 8 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • Maple syrup and powdered sugar for topping
  1. Combine brown sugar and butter in a bowl and pour on the bottom of a baking dish. 
  2. Arrange the bread that is cut into slices/chunks in the baking dish.
  3. Combine milk, eggs, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a bowl and pour evenly over bread slices.
  4. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least four hours or preferably overnight.
  5. Before baking take out of the fridge for at least 10 minutes while you are preheating your oven to 350 degrees.
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes. If top starts browning too quickly place a foil loosely over the top of the casserole for the last 10 minutes or so. You want it to cook long enough to make sure the bottom part is cooked but don't dry it out completely.
  7. Remove casserole from oven and let it cool slightly before serving. 
  8. Dust powdered sugar and a drizzle maple syrup. ENJOY!