I have always loved French toast. I like a basic French toast…no fancy batter, not rolled in nuts, not stuffed with stuff. I like it with a simple milk and egg batter. But some people find it odd that I like mine really mushy or soggy. I really dislike dry French toast. So, the good thing about making it yourself, is that you can make it any way that you want, right? I like using cracked wheat bread, brioche, oat bread and of course….good ol cheap white bread like my mom always used. She would use the entire loaf of bread for the three of us kids. As I’ve told you before, my mom was Japanese and could never pronounce her R’s. She would kinda combine the L’s and R’s together. But it would mostly sound like flench tose. Yep…..so that is what I call it to this day. When my daughter was little, my mom would make this for her. My daughter would try to correct her and say “Nannaaaaaa, it’s not flench tose…its frrrench toassssttt”. My mom would get so annoyed and say “ohhh, you no collect (correct) nana….you justa eat”. Hahahahaha.

Anyway, use any bread you like, but the star in this show, is the home-made syrup. Ohhhhh, yum. I am not a maple fan. I mean, it’s ok, but eh. I don’t care for maple flavor.  I prefer this homemade syrup. This is my  orange version, but you can make lemon, blueberry, raspberry and even peanut butter. Yep, peanut butter.

I have to tell you…..as I write this, I am drooling. I need some French toast right this minute. My sweet daughter and her darling hubby are coming for breakfast this weekend and I plan on fattening them up with this stuff. Amanda, may I suggest you two wear stretchy pants?

French Toast with Homemade Orange Syrup
serves 2

4 slices of your favorite bread
2 eggs
2 cups milk ( I use whole milk)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1/2 tsp orange zest (optional, but highly recommended)

In a shallow dish, mix together the milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and orange zest.
In a large non stick skillet, over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter.

Dip a slice of bread into the egg/milk mixture. Turn to coat the other side. If you like your toast soggy, leave it in the milk mixture a few seconds, but not too long. Gently place the bread in the hot buttered skillet. If you have room in your pan, do the same with another slice.  Once your toast is browned on one side, flip it over to brown the other side. Remove from heat and serve immediately with hot syrup. Oh, and butter, of course.

Orange Syrup

1 cup white granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups water
1/2 cup corn syrup
3 tblsp butter
a wee pinch of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
zest of 1 orange

In a medium size saucepan, combine the sugars, water, corn syrup. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the orange zest and vanilla. Let it cook until it thickens. This will take about 10 minutes. It wont be super thick, but it will thicken as it cools.  Remove from heat and add the butter. Stir until the butter is all mixed in.
This is good hot, warm or room temp. Store any leftovers in the fridge.

Optional flavors:

Berry – add 1/4 cup fresh berries (blueberries, raspberry, blackberry) with the sugars, water, corn syrup
Lemon – replace orange zest with lemon
Peanut Butter – omit the zest and add 1 tblsp peanut butter