Hello, Melondy!
You wrote on Sun, 11 Feb 2007 11:56:45 GMT:

M> aem wrote:
??>> Just occurred to me. Suppose you have a loaf of French
??>> bread a couple of days old and you decide to slice it
??>> thickly and make French toast. Do you trim the crusts off
??>> the slices? -aem
??>>
M> It never would occur to me to trim off the crusts. French
M> toast is "pain perdu", meaning lost bread. It was originally
M> made FROM French bread because it is bread that doesn't keep
M> very well and gets stale fast. I don't think most people let
M> their bread soak in the custard mixture long enough. I've
M> even seen some friends do a dip and turn and start cooking.
M> No, you have to let it sit in there a long time, turning and
M> getting each side really soaked with all that milk and egg.
M> In fact, if your bread is drier, it acts like a sponge and
M> it speeds up some of the soaking. You can poke the centers
M> with a fork to make a way on, too. My mom would let bread
M> out on the counter for the night if it wasn't very stale and
M> first thing in the morning start the soak. She even liked
M> using those Holland Rusks for more savory type French toast
M> brunches. With a good soak it is very good and very tender.
M> It has to be because in Europe the way you eat it is NOT
M> with maple syrup which they didn't have, they eat it with
M> powdered sugar and fruit or jam. So, no additional liquid on
M> top, just the delicate crunchy outside and the custardy
M> inside. Delicious!

I think you have the right of it and I essentially agree with
you entirely! I will admit to one personal idiosyncrasy that I
have liked since I was in kindergarten (and that's a long time
ago in Britain). I leave out the sugar and use ketchup with
french toast!

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.not