Sourdough French Toast, is one of my favorite brunch recipes. With that golden brown color and maple syrup drizzled on top of those crispy edges of thick slices of sourdough bread make for the perfect bite!
This ultimate breakfast dates back to ancient Rome, and its journey since then has been nothing short of fascinating and delicious! Let's take a journey through time and explore the history and cultural significance of this beloved breakfast dish. So sit back and get ready to discover the delicious story of sourdough French toast.
Sourdough French Toast in Ancient Rome
In the ancient world, bread was a staple food. In Rome, bread was often made from sourdough, and as a result, there was often leftover sourdough bread that needed to be repurposed. Enter sourdough perfect french toast. Homemade French toast was created as a way to use up stale sourdough bread and avoid wasting any precious food.
Interestingly, the ancient Romans did not use sweet toppings on their French toast. Instead, they would season it with various herbs and spices, such as pepper and thyme. This delicious French toast was often served alongside other breakfast meats, like bacon and sausages.
Over time, classic French toast evolved and began to be associated with sweet flavors. The dish became a popular breakfast item in medieval Europe, where it was often served with honey or jam. The concept of sweet French toast crossed the Atlantic to North America and became a beloved breakfast staple when New York, innkeeper Joseph French introduced the dish to America in 1724. French toast got its current name through a grammatical error that was made in an advertisement that left the apostrophe on S for his name.
Sourdough Bread's Influence on French Toast
Sourdough bread has been a staple ingredient in French toast for centuries and for good reason. Its unique tangy flavor and characteristic chewy texture add depth to the dish. Sourdough is made with a sourdough starter, which is a mixture of flour and water left to ferment for several days. This fermentation process gives sourdough bread its distinct sour taste and chewy texture.
Today, sourdough French toast remains a favorite among breakfast lovers, and its cultural significance cannot be ignored. Its influence has even extended to other dishes, such as bread pudding and strata. The unique flavor and texture of sourdough bread have become synonymous with French toast, making it an essential ingredient in the dish.
French Toast Variation Across the World
Sourdough French toast has become a beloved dish across the globe due to its mix of sweet and savory flavors and the unique taste that comes from using sourdough bread. As a result, there are many French toast variations of this classic breakfast dish that have been developed in different parts of the world, each influenced by its own unique cultural and culinary traditions.
Hong Kong-style - French toast which is typically made by sandwiching peanut butter or jam between two slices of bread, dipping it into an egg batter, and pan-frying it until crispy.
German Arme Ritter -i s made by soaking slices of bread in a mixture of eggs, milk, cinnamon, and sugar before frying it in butter and serving it with fruit jam or syrup.
South Africa - A popular version of the dish is called "eggy bread" which is made with slices of bread soaked in a mixture of eggs and milk before being fried in butter.
India - French toast is typically made with white bread and spices such as coriander and cumin and served with chutney or ketchup.
United States - Sourdough French toast is often associated with a cozy weekend breakfast with family or friends.
France - known as pain perdu, or “lost bread,” is a dish that is made with stale bread in order to avoid wasting food.
For many centuries, bread was a staple food for people across the globe, and sourdough in particular was a common type of bread. Due to its long shelf life and tangy flavor. Today, sourdough French toast stands as a reminder of the humble origins of this beloved dish.
Ingredients Needed
Mixture
- bread slices, the best bread is stale
- eggs
- whole milk or heavy cream
- honey
- vanilla extract
- salt
Topping
- maple syrup
- fresh berries
How to Make the Best Sourdough French Toast
This is the perfect recipe for a quick brunch with simple ingredients and the best way to use up the leftover crusty sourdough bread. If you don't have stale bread, fresh sourdough bread will work just as well. Or a great option is homemade sourdough bread or regular bread. I made sourdough brioche last week and that is what I am using in the photos.
- The first thing to do is get a shallow bowl to mix the ingredients. Mix together to create a custardy egg mixture consistency.
- Heat a frying pan with real butter to get ready to cook the French toast.
- Take the slice of bread and let it soak on both sides.
- Take the soaked bread and place it on the frying pan. Adjust the stovetop to a higher heat to get the crispy edges. Then medium-low heat to let the egg mixture cook for about 2-3 minutes. Repeat step, until all the bread is done.
- Place on a plate with fresh berries and pour the maple syrup on top.
Tips & Tricks
- If you are making a big batch for a special occasion or for the whole family, warm the oven a little. Then place the French toast on a baking sheet while finishing the batch of slice bread. That way they stay warm until it is time to serve.
- The perfect way to store any leftovers is by placing them in an airtight container. Then use layers of parchment paper in-between for the best results when freezing. When ready to eat place in the toaster oven and warm up in no time.
More New York Recipes
From its ancient Roman roots to today's version of sourdough French toast, one thing is for sure, people all over the world love this dish. Nothing brings people together more than food and my favorite time is Sunday brunch. Till next time my beautiful friends, join me next week as my quest continues in search of the perfect bite!
Sourdough French Toast
Equipment
- 1 frying pan
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
Mixture
- 6 bread slices the best bread is stale
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup whole milk or heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ salt
Topping
- ¼ maple syrup
- 1 cup fresh berries
Instructions
- The first thing to do is get a shallow bowl to mix the ingredients together to create a custardy egg mixture consistency.
- Heat a frying pan with real butter to get ready to cook the French toast.
- Take the slice of bread and let it soak on both sides.
- Take the soaked bread and place it on the frying pan. Adjust the stovetop to a higher heat to get the crispy edges then medium-low heat to let the egg mixture cook for about 2-3 minutes. Repeat step, until all the bread is done.
- Place on a plate with fresh berries and pour the maple syrup on top.
Video
Notes
- If you are making a big batch for a special occasion or for the whole family, warm the oven a little and place the French toast on a baking sheet while finishing the batch of slice bread. That way they stay warm until it is time to serve.
- The perfect way to store any leftovers is by placing them in an airtight container with layers of parchment paper in-between for the best results when freezing. When ready to eat place in the toaster oven and warm up in no time
Tina says
What can I say, I saw this and need to make it right away. Loooove!
Lizzy says
So glad you loved it, thanks for visiting my blog, xoxo Lizzy
Lucy says
Can you use different bread?
Lizzy says
what ever is available with stale bread will do just fine. xoxo Lizzy