Fresh Approach Cooking

Tonight is the first night of the Jewish holiday Hannuka.

In commemortion, candles will be lit, presents exchanged and fried foods consumed. Its good, calorie-dense fun all around. (The fried food consumption is part of the holiday tradition. How much do you love that! Come to think of it, I'm so happy there are no "low-cal" hoildays. Aren't you?)

So my dears, if you celebrate, a hearty happy hannuka to you and yours.

Revelry can be exciting.

But what about the next day? (Because a big night of family fun leaves a kid famished, right?)

Fear not, I have the solution.

Decadant, egg-rich challah, drenched in thick, vanilla scented cream and topped with sweet fruit. A dream. (And because this hoilday is on a Friday night, there should be Challah abound...right? Right. Since, you know, members of the tribe have challah EVERY Friday night. Well, the observant I should say.)

But let's say you arent a member of the tribe what then? That's okay! No matter what philosophy you ascribe to, you will be a convert to this dish. Its a non-denominational treat

Try it and enjoy.

8 thick slices, Challah or brioche
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large nectarines, pitted and sliced (frozen work)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sour cream
2 tablespoons honey
Raspberries for garnish (hey, they are available here!)

In a large, chilled, metal bowl, whip the cream until it holds soft peaks. Add the honey and sour cream and whip again until it combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Toss the nectarines with the sugar. Melt the butter in a large pan, then saute the fruit until just soft. Remove from the pan, and wipe it out to use for the toast.

In a large, deep dish, whisk the eggs until frothy. Add the milk and vanilla. Let rest for a minute while you slice the bread again into 1 inch by 1 inch by 3 inch sticks.

Add the bread to the milk and let sit for a few moments while you heat the butter in a large pan over medium heat.

Remove the bread from the milk and let drain slightly before cooking on all sides until browned (about 4 minutes)

Serve with the fruit and cream

Serves 6

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Challah, here, means egg bread. You can use Hawaiian or Portuguese bread too. Click here for lots more information on Challah.

In Spain, French toast is called "torrijas" and is typically made during Lent, out of thick slices of bread soaked in milk or wine, dipped in egg, fried and then drenched in spiced honey

It is not entirely clear why this dish is called French Toast. In Sweden it would be called fattiga riddare and in Germany armer Ritter. (Both translate to "Poor Knight.") But what about in France? Pain perdu, or "Lost Bread."

Labels: Breakfast