Looking for a long-lost French Toast recipe, with a unique coating
March 6, 2011 8:17 PM Subscribe
Prithee good sir or madam, hear my tale of woe and, if so moved, aid me in my quest for French Toast glory. Indulgence if you please for the 'epicness' of the tale, for a taste of this splendour deserves such a telling.
Far back in the mists of time during a grungy epoch known as the 90's there was a poor peasant named Hardcore. He lived on the unserviced edge of an ailing burgh called 'Winnipeg.' Little grew in its frozen tundra and the local market sellers were little better than highwaymen, such were their prices. Thus did it happen that the people of the town amassed the highest ratio of restaurants-to-citizens in all the land.
Being of meager means, young Hardcore frequented the lowest of the low places that men gather for their supp. So it came to pass that he found himself in the house of ye olde Dutch Maid on the street they call Osborne, with only a handfull of coins to rub together. He stepped unevenly inside and knew it at once to be a common place as the floor did not so much hew to a line, but instead "followed the underlying terrain." The state of the furnishings inspired more dread than they did comfort. And from the earthy smells of smoking herb wafting from the galley cooks, he knew they were not of clear mind. Little hope was held for quality victuals that day.
But lo, they brought forth a wonder - a Toast of France unlike any he had encountered, before or since. Wondrous light it was; not too sweet, not too damp. Ensconcing the toast was a coating of dark brown crispiness, with a crumble and taste beyond compare. The coating was of such delicacy that, when crushed, broke into fragments no thicker than mouse whiskers. And very few ducats changed hands! Hardcore was in his element.
Feast he did there several times more, with his lady by his side, both enrapt in the wonders of this simple dish. But woe, ill recessive winds swept the land and carried ye olde Dutch Maid away to the land of Chapter 11.
Crestfallen though he was, our peasant gourmand did not yield to dame Fortune so easily. He sought the chefs and innkeeps of the land, asking each for news of the dish that so won his heart. He wrote flowing odes to it and posted them on many trees in the Forest of Usenet. He sang its praises in epic ballads to all his friends (until, as one, they filed Orders of Restraint with the sheriff.) And as the years slipped by the memories of that wondrous Toast of France seemed to fade from all minds except for that Winnipeg peasant.
Scrollbearer, that peasant was me.
- - -
Yeah, I know, weird question. TL;DR - I had some awesome food once and want it again.
Have you ever eaten French Toast that had a crispy, fine-grained, spiky coating? If so, what was the recipe? Or barring the actual recipe: If you happened to eat at that wreck of a restaurant, the Winnipeg Dutch Maid on Osborne Street pre-2000, maybe you can help me pin down the name of this kind of French Toast?
Over the years I've done all manner of searching for this, both IRL and online. Talked to chefs, emailed hotels, inquired at restaurants. (Yes, it's that good.) No luck even finding someone who recognizes the crunchy coating details that I remember, except for one person who swore it was Belgian French Toast (I made some; it wasn't nearly like the fine crispiness I remembered.) Hopefully there's a foodie somewhere who's had a similar dish and can help me figure out what it was.
Thanks in advance.
Far back in the mists of time during a grungy epoch known as the 90's there was a poor peasant named Hardcore. He lived on the unserviced edge of an ailing burgh called 'Winnipeg.' Little grew in its frozen tundra and the local market sellers were little better than highwaymen, such were their prices. Thus did it happen that the people of the town amassed the highest ratio of restaurants-to-citizens in all the land.
Being of meager means, young Hardcore frequented the lowest of the low places that men gather for their supp. So it came to pass that he found himself in the house of ye olde Dutch Maid on the street they call Osborne, with only a handfull of coins to rub together. He stepped unevenly inside and knew it at once to be a common place as the floor did not so much hew to a line, but instead "followed the underlying terrain." The state of the furnishings inspired more dread than they did comfort. And from the earthy smells of smoking herb wafting from the galley cooks, he knew they were not of clear mind. Little hope was held for quality victuals that day.
But lo, they brought forth a wonder - a Toast of France unlike any he had encountered, before or since. Wondrous light it was; not too sweet, not too damp. Ensconcing the toast was a coating of dark brown crispiness, with a crumble and taste beyond compare. The coating was of such delicacy that, when crushed, broke into fragments no thicker than mouse whiskers. And very few ducats changed hands! Hardcore was in his element.
Feast he did there several times more, with his lady by his side, both enrapt in the wonders of this simple dish. But woe, ill recessive winds swept the land and carried ye olde Dutch Maid away to the land of Chapter 11.
Crestfallen though he was, our peasant gourmand did not yield to dame Fortune so easily. He sought the chefs and innkeeps of the land, asking each for news of the dish that so won his heart. He wrote flowing odes to it and posted them on many trees in the Forest of Usenet. He sang its praises in epic ballads to all his friends (until, as one, they filed Orders of Restraint with the sheriff.) And as the years slipped by the memories of that wondrous Toast of France seemed to fade from all minds except for that Winnipeg peasant.
Scrollbearer, that peasant was me.
- - -
Yeah, I know, weird question. TL;DR - I had some awesome food once and want it again.
Have you ever eaten French Toast that had a crispy, fine-grained, spiky coating? If so, what was the recipe? Or barring the actual recipe: If you happened to eat at that wreck of a restaurant, the Winnipeg Dutch Maid on Osborne Street pre-2000, maybe you can help me pin down the name of this kind of French Toast?
Over the years I've done all manner of searching for this, both IRL and online. Talked to chefs, emailed hotels, inquired at restaurants. (Yes, it's that good.) No luck even finding someone who recognizes the crunchy coating details that I remember, except for one person who swore it was Belgian French Toast (I made some; it wasn't nearly like the fine crispiness I remembered.) Hopefully there's a foodie somewhere who's had a similar dish and can help me figure out what it was.
Thanks in advance.
The 501 Diner in Chapel Hill makes corn flake "toast of France". Just an idea.
Also: try adding just a little flour to the batter, so it's like very thin pancake batter.
posted by amtho at 8:23 PM on March 6, 2011
Also: try adding just a little flour to the batter, so it's like very thin pancake batter.
posted by amtho at 8:23 PM on March 6, 2011
I make french toast that has a crisp outer coating and a custardy, melt-in-your mouth insides. I use the Cook's Illustrated recipe. It uses just one egg, a cup of milk, and a tablespoon of flour for the batter. Plus vanilla and a little sugar. I think the flour is what makes it fry up so crisp, and only one egg keeps it from tasting too eggy. I usually add a little cinnamon to the batter.
posted by not that girl at 8:39 PM on March 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by not that girl at 8:39 PM on March 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
Sounds deep fried to me.
posted by jrossi4r at 8:41 PM on March 6, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by jrossi4r at 8:41 PM on March 6, 2011 [3 favorites]
I'm not at all sure what kind of crispiness you had, because it's kind of lost in your Epic Tale of Woe and Sadness but adding a bunch of sugar to the egg mixture and then frying very quickly over very high heat can create a fairly crackly crust on french toast.
posted by jacquilynne at 8:42 PM on March 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by jacquilynne at 8:42 PM on March 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
It may be dipped in the batter, then dipped in another drier batter, then fried in butter.
Failing that, please describe the taste signature of the coating.
posted by schyler523 at 8:44 PM on March 6, 2011
Failing that, please describe the taste signature of the coating.
posted by schyler523 at 8:44 PM on March 6, 2011
I feel bad about my earlier snark, but I do hope your question gets pared down so you get more quality answers.
Sounds like sort of a creme brûlée coating. Regular French toast, then add a healthy coat of sugar and stick it under the broiler, or use a blowtorch.
posted by supercres at 8:46 PM on March 6, 2011
Sounds like sort of a creme brûlée coating. Regular French toast, then add a healthy coat of sugar and stick it under the broiler, or use a blowtorch.
posted by supercres at 8:46 PM on March 6, 2011
Response by poster: Sorry for losing the question in the buildup; just poking fun at my own silly 'epic search' - it seemed funny at the time.
Crème brûlée is about the closest thing, texture-wise, to that coating. As for flavour it was similar to the crisp edges of a plain crêpe, but with more of a 'burnt' taste. The coating did, literally, crumble into whisker-thin spikes so it's hard to compare its mouth feel to anything else. What other things make up taste signature?
posted by Hardcore Poser at 9:01 PM on March 6, 2011
Crème brûlée is about the closest thing, texture-wise, to that coating. As for flavour it was similar to the crisp edges of a plain crêpe, but with more of a 'burnt' taste. The coating did, literally, crumble into whisker-thin spikes so it's hard to compare its mouth feel to anything else. What other things make up taste signature?
posted by Hardcore Poser at 9:01 PM on March 6, 2011
I add a sugar/cinnamon mix to my wet bread before frying. Gives it a caramelly outside. Not quite what you're looking for, but maybe a step along the way
posted by GilloD at 9:05 PM on March 6, 2011
posted by GilloD at 9:05 PM on March 6, 2011
To recreate the creme brulee taste/feel, you could increase the amount of sugar in the batter, and increase the heat of the griddle. If you find that it is burning the outside before the inside is cooked to your desired level, then pop the toast in the oven for a bit.
Experiment with batter/heat until you figure out the right mix.
posted by schyler523 at 9:11 PM on March 6, 2011
Experiment with batter/heat until you figure out the right mix.
posted by schyler523 at 9:11 PM on March 6, 2011
i simply ADORED the wording of this question, to the point of wondering if i could ever get to winnipeg to eat french toast with you. so take heart fair knave; it was delightful to some of us.
i made this creme brulée french toast recipe. not at all whisker-thin spiky. were they whiskers of sugar, or wheat, or what? the creme brulee french toast i tried was more pudding-y.
best of luck in the quest.
posted by andreapandrea at 9:14 PM on March 6, 2011 [8 favorites]
i made this creme brulée french toast recipe. not at all whisker-thin spiky. were they whiskers of sugar, or wheat, or what? the creme brulee french toast i tried was more pudding-y.
best of luck in the quest.
posted by andreapandrea at 9:14 PM on March 6, 2011 [8 favorites]
I KNOW THE SECRET. maybe.
An old roommate of mine from Toronto used to make the absolute BEST french toast ever. At the time I lived with her, I was still a professional chef, so I know of what I speak.
She made regular french toast batter (nutmeg but no cinnamon), dipped/soaked the bread (cut into small squares) fried it, and melted finely finely shredded (white cheddar) cheese on top. It was more savory than sweet.
I imagine at a restaurant I could top those french toast squares with a sprinkle of tasty zesty cheese and crisp it under the salamander. At home I would use the broiler in my oven or toaster oven. In a pinch, I'd use a creme brulee torch.
Do you think this is it?
posted by jbenben at 9:28 PM on March 6, 2011
An old roommate of mine from Toronto used to make the absolute BEST french toast ever. At the time I lived with her, I was still a professional chef, so I know of what I speak.
She made regular french toast batter (nutmeg but no cinnamon), dipped/soaked the bread (cut into small squares) fried it, and melted finely finely shredded (white cheddar) cheese on top. It was more savory than sweet.
I imagine at a restaurant I could top those french toast squares with a sprinkle of tasty zesty cheese and crisp it under the salamander. At home I would use the broiler in my oven or toaster oven. In a pinch, I'd use a creme brulee torch.
Do you think this is it?
posted by jbenben at 9:28 PM on March 6, 2011
Start with day-old Challah. Add a half-teaspoon vanilla to your batter and serve with warm maple syrup and a shake of powdered sugar.
posted by Mertonian at 9:34 PM on March 6, 2011
posted by Mertonian at 9:34 PM on March 6, 2011
Response by poster: The whiskers themselves weren't very sweet so I'm assuming it was some sort of grain or starch and not a sugar. It wasn't as plain a taste as wheat; closer to something like arrowroot flour.
The most puzzling thing to me is how any coating happens to break down in that particular way. I've never heard of any slurry or dough or breading which crumbles like that did, into short, spiky hair-thick shards.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 9:36 PM on March 6, 2011
The most puzzling thing to me is how any coating happens to break down in that particular way. I've never heard of any slurry or dough or breading which crumbles like that did, into short, spiky hair-thick shards.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 9:36 PM on March 6, 2011
Response by poster: Ooh, I hadn't thought of cheese. That sounds promising. Thanks jbenben, I know what I'll be doing tomorrow morning.
And thanks to those suggesting other dishes; even if I don't find the One True Grail I'll enjoy trying out all these chalices.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 9:43 PM on March 6, 2011
And thanks to those suggesting other dishes; even if I don't find the One True Grail I'll enjoy trying out all these chalices.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 9:43 PM on March 6, 2011
Idea- Egg whites? The secret to a great pancake is to froth the white meringue style and then fold them back into the batter. I have no idea if egg whites would yield the kind of 'whiskers' you keep talking about, but maybe if the batter were frothy with whites, it might crisp and flake like you're describing?
posted by GilloD at 9:50 PM on March 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by GilloD at 9:50 PM on March 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
I have never, ever in my life eaten anything made from a Paula Dean recipe.
However, my friend makes a baked French toast that is prepared the night before, kind of soaks overnight in the fridge, and then cooks for an hour and a half at a very low temperature, and it has that nice crispy texture on the outside. And Paula Dean, of all people, has this baked french toast recipe that uses, get this, pralines for a crispy outer coating.
So there's a possibility for you!
posted by misha at 9:51 PM on March 6, 2011
However, my friend makes a baked French toast that is prepared the night before, kind of soaks overnight in the fridge, and then cooks for an hour and a half at a very low temperature, and it has that nice crispy texture on the outside. And Paula Dean, of all people, has this baked french toast recipe that uses, get this, pralines for a crispy outer coating.
So there's a possibility for you!
posted by misha at 9:51 PM on March 6, 2011
Loved the wording of your question.
Might be worth posting on the home cooking boards of Chowhound-those folks know food.
posted by purenitrous at 9:59 PM on March 6, 2011
Might be worth posting on the home cooking boards of Chowhound-those folks know food.
posted by purenitrous at 9:59 PM on March 6, 2011
Rum.
posted by jeffamaphone at 11:08 PM on March 6, 2011
posted by jeffamaphone at 11:08 PM on March 6, 2011
I support with the cheese hypothesis; it fits well with "the edge of a crepe but more flavorful, but not sugar" description (it brings to mind those gourmet cheese twist sticks that remind me of the 90s).
The trick is to use just a thin sprinkle of finely shreded cheese (after you've cooked the toast in the pan) and broil it until it's crispy all the way through and not gooey anymore. It'll probably take a bit of practice to get it right without burning.
posted by Jon_Evil at 11:31 PM on March 6, 2011
The trick is to use just a thin sprinkle of finely shreded cheese (after you've cooked the toast in the pan) and broil it until it's crispy all the way through and not gooey anymore. It'll probably take a bit of practice to get it right without burning.
posted by Jon_Evil at 11:31 PM on March 6, 2011
My 7th grade home ec. teacher teacher swore by using Texas toast.
Also, it sounds like you should get a good fedora for the kitchen.
posted by chillmost at 3:38 AM on March 7, 2011 [7 favorites]
Also, it sounds like you should get a good fedora for the kitchen.
posted by chillmost at 3:38 AM on March 7, 2011 [7 favorites]
Brevity. Captain Crunch.
posted by The White Hat at 4:39 AM on March 7, 2011
posted by The White Hat at 4:39 AM on March 7, 2011
Panko breadcrumbs, maybe?
posted by deludingmyself at 8:50 AM on March 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by deludingmyself at 8:50 AM on March 7, 2011 [2 favorites]
Corn flakes. Crunch them up to a fine consistency. Here is just one example.
posted by elisebeth at 10:25 AM on March 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by elisebeth at 10:25 AM on March 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
This question made me crave French toast, so I decided to do some experimenting on your behalf this morning.
For the batter, I used three eggs (for six slices of bread), an eyeballed amount of vanilla soy milk which I would guesstimate at maybe a quarter cup or so, a tablespoon of granulated white sugar, and pinches of cinnamon, nutmeg, and powdered ginger.
As the Toasting Of France plodded on, I added more soy milk to make the last couple slices of bread easier to soak.
For the last slice, to test the "Creme Brulee" theory, I added another teaspoon or so of sugar. (By this point the batter was mostly soy milk and sugar).
I used a cast iron skillet, and my oil of choices was Earth Balance vegan "butter" substitute. I have a gas stove, if that matters.
First few slices: traditional French Toast like your mom makes. Great tasting, but not corresponding to the proposed conditions.
Fourth/Fifth slices: a little more caramelized as the egg started to thin out and the skillet got hotter. I also added more Earth Balance at this stage. Not exactly as you describe, but much closer.
Sixth slice: very close to your Holy Grail. Very hot skillet, very "milky"/sugary (as opposed to eggy) batter, And I tried extra hard to give it a good soak in the batter since by this point I was starting to run out. The sugar definitely formed a caramelized outer crust on contact with the skillet.
Conclusions - you want a thin batter that is more milk than egg, and extremely sugary. You want a very hot cooking surface which conducts heat efficiently. You want really good coverage with said thin sweet batter. Artificial/soy-based products might have been a factor, as well. One reason I prefer to cook things like this with Earth Balance is that it has a higher smoke point than regular butter, which gives you a longer window to get effects like this before your oil starts to burn.
posted by Sara C. at 11:44 AM on March 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
For the batter, I used three eggs (for six slices of bread), an eyeballed amount of vanilla soy milk which I would guesstimate at maybe a quarter cup or so, a tablespoon of granulated white sugar, and pinches of cinnamon, nutmeg, and powdered ginger.
As the Toasting Of France plodded on, I added more soy milk to make the last couple slices of bread easier to soak.
For the last slice, to test the "Creme Brulee" theory, I added another teaspoon or so of sugar. (By this point the batter was mostly soy milk and sugar).
I used a cast iron skillet, and my oil of choices was Earth Balance vegan "butter" substitute. I have a gas stove, if that matters.
First few slices: traditional French Toast like your mom makes. Great tasting, but not corresponding to the proposed conditions.
Fourth/Fifth slices: a little more caramelized as the egg started to thin out and the skillet got hotter. I also added more Earth Balance at this stage. Not exactly as you describe, but much closer.
Sixth slice: very close to your Holy Grail. Very hot skillet, very "milky"/sugary (as opposed to eggy) batter, And I tried extra hard to give it a good soak in the batter since by this point I was starting to run out. The sugar definitely formed a caramelized outer crust on contact with the skillet.
Conclusions - you want a thin batter that is more milk than egg, and extremely sugary. You want a very hot cooking surface which conducts heat efficiently. You want really good coverage with said thin sweet batter. Artificial/soy-based products might have been a factor, as well. One reason I prefer to cook things like this with Earth Balance is that it has a higher smoke point than regular butter, which gives you a longer window to get effects like this before your oil starts to burn.
posted by Sara C. at 11:44 AM on March 7, 2011 [1 favorite]
This is not responsive to your quest for texture, but to make the flavor of french toast more sublime, add a slight sprinkle of finely ground pepper on the outside of the slices before they hit the pan. This works equally well whether the recipe is otherwise sweet or savory.
posted by Corvid at 11:58 AM on March 7, 2011
posted by Corvid at 11:58 AM on March 7, 2011
Thinking about the spikeyness of the coating, was it maybe coconut?
posted by rhapsodie at 1:32 PM on March 7, 2011
posted by rhapsodie at 1:32 PM on March 7, 2011
I have eaten at Dutch Maid. I have eaten french toast that sounds familiar to what you are describing. I never had french toast at Dutch Maid.
I think it's just fried. Let your bread get really saturated with the egg mixture.
But again, I never had Dutch Maid's french toast. I didn't even know they MADE french toast.
posted by wallaby at 1:59 PM on March 7, 2011
I think it's just fried. Let your bread get really saturated with the egg mixture.
But again, I never had Dutch Maid's french toast. I didn't even know they MADE french toast.
posted by wallaby at 1:59 PM on March 7, 2011
It sounds somewhat like deep-fried french toast. The coating should have flour in it for the crispy flakiness (you need starch for that). And you need a deep pan and lots of oil for frying.
It's best if you use a challah-style bread.
posted by oneirodynia at 3:02 PM on March 7, 2011
It's best if you use a challah-style bread.
posted by oneirodynia at 3:02 PM on March 7, 2011
We used kataifi as a breading agent sometimes and it has the "mouse whiskers" texture that you describe. Very crispy, very thin, and a little spiky. The kataifi comes in loose rolls and you slice it crosswise to make short shreds which you use just like breadcrumbs. Here's a picture of kataifi breaded tuna.
posted by hindmost at 3:37 PM on March 7, 2011
posted by hindmost at 3:37 PM on March 7, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
So, i'm gonna say: adding vanilla and cinnamon and lemon zest to the egg/milk mixture makes good french toast.
I'm assuming that's what your question is about.
posted by Kololo at 8:21 PM on March 6, 2011 [27 favorites]