Friday, October 25, 2013

It's a French Toast issue... say what?!?

I have a tendency to read foreign newspapers over our very own American media news outlets. I'm skimming through looking at the various goings on of the world when I come upon an article about french toast in the UK sense. It would seem that most British individuals consider the idea of "sweet" french toast to be an American thing. They gag at the idea of putting cinnamon and sugar on French Toast.  Evidently, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce is the way they indulge.
Here are some anonymous comments to peruse:

Growing up in the UK I only knew eggy bread as a savoury thing - bread dipped in egg and fried. 'French toast' as a sweet dish seems (for the last century or so at least) to be an American thing.

Have to agree: savoury as a duck's arse. And fried in lard. That's the way.

My mum always served it with Worcestershire sauce, scrummy and quick.

Disgusting sweet muck!!! Make it savoury and I'm in.

Sweet? We always had ours with ketchup on...

dessert!? get out.

We used to make this on Guide camp for breakfast, sprinkling crunchy granulated sugar on top and dunking in ketchup! 

Then there were the other versions:

My version is curtsy of a hellish hangover and a nearly empty fridge:
Scramble 2 eggs adding salt and black pepper.
Soak 2 slices of store bought, generic white bread.
pop in the pan and fry in butter until golden.
Plate up and then add a layer on top of last nights leftover chilli (reheated obviously and so very, very spicy).
Grated cheese on top.
This is, without doubt my dirtiest food craving.


Aarggh! I never realised it was supposed to be sweet!
My recipe:
Beat the eggs, add plenty of salt and pepper, a hefty dash of tabasco and a half teaspoon of good soy sauce (eg Kikkoman). Any decent white bread works to soak in it. Fry in olive oil (just a spoonful, and should be piping hot).

Sacrilege!
No sugar.. no spices and no bloody vanilla. A little salt and pepper in the mix which should be a drop or two of milk per egg used. Thirty second soak and fry in a smidge of olive oil in my house.
Serve with lashings of butter.. and if you must, you can have some maple syrup.

 
And then the Canadians piped in...

Hmmm.
The Canadian way is for the bread not to be stale but maybe 2 days old. Just old enough that it isn't soft to the touch.
You beat eggs in a bowl. Maybe add a little cinnamon, but make sure it's wet and doesn't sit on top of the eggs.
You dip the bread just long enough to coat it. DO NOT soak it.
Fry it in a little butter, preferably salted.
Serve with streaky bacon and maple syrup. And Brits look away now....
The syrup goes over both the French toast and the bacon.

I have officially learned something new today... Breakfast food can be the topic of heated discussion.
Just imagining ketchup on my French Toast makes my gag reflex kick in. I think I can appreciate the European savory selections as long as they are "out of sight, out of mind".

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