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Cooking with Kids |
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FUN FRENCH TOAST FACTS
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French toast was created by medieval European cooks who needed to
use every bit of food they could find to feed their families.
They knew day-old bread could be revived when moistened and heated.
They also added eggs for additional moisture and protein. ·
Medieval recipes for French toast suggest this meal was enjoyed by
the wealthy. These recipes used
white bread (the very finest, most expensive bread available at the time) with
the crusts cut off—something a person of meager means would be unlikely to do. ·
Recipes for French toast can also be traced
to Ancient Roman times. One of the
original French names for this dish is le pain á la Romaine, or Roman bread.
Apicius, Roman culinary expert born 25 B.C., wrote: “Another sweet
dish: Break fine white bread, crust removed, into rather large pieces which soak
in milk [and beaten eggs]. Fry in oil, cover with honey and serve.” Apicius
Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome, edited and translated by Joseph Dommers
Vehling, recipe 296 ·
According to the Encyclopedia of American
Food and Drink, French toast does have its origins in France, where it is known
as “amerite” or “pain perdu” (lost bread). ·
The phrase “French toast” first appeared in print in the
Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink in 1871.
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