French Toast

French toast is known in France as pain perdu, which translates to "lost bread," because it makes delicious use of stale or leftover bread. Once you've mastered the basics -- coating slices of bread in an egg-and-milk mixture and sauteeing them -- a range of possibilities opens.

Any type of bread may be used to make French toast. Kids prefer plain white bread, but whole wheat bread and French bread are also very good. For special occasions, use croissants, challah, brioche or panettone, even raisin bread. Adjust the time you soak the bread in the egg mixture. Soft breads, such as white sandwich bread, you want to dip one side in quickly, then the other; otherwise the bread will get too soaked and fall apart. Sturdier breads, such as French bread, can be left in the egg mixture longer to soak up more of the mixture.

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
6 slices bread
Butter
Maple syrup or confectioner's sugar

Beat the eggs well and mix in the milk.

Add the bread slices one at a time to soak up the mixture. Flip the bread over and soak that side.

Heat a cast iron frying pan over medium-low heat - if the pan is too hot, the egg mixture in the center won't be cooked. Melt a little butter in the pan and, when the butter is bubbly, add the bread slices without overlapping them.

Fry on one side until browned; flip over and do the same making sure that the custard in the center is cooked.

Serve hot with more butter and warmed maple syrup. Use confectioner's sugar in place of the maple syrup, if preferred.

Good served with fried bacon, ham, or country-style sausage, and orange juice or fresh fruit (strawberries are good).