A toast for Mom -- French toast, that is

Growing up, pancakes made frequent appearances on the weekend table; they were something we Pankeys became known for. (Pancakes, Pankey. Get it?)

My dad worked for Quaker Oats at the time, so Aunt Jemima syrup was in the fridge and the mix was in the cupboard waiting for the next morning-after-sleepover feast.

And when my branch of the clan reunited in the early 1990s in southern Illinois, a pancake breakfast in Uncle Lowden's front yard was the highlight of the weekend.

Yet as fond as I am of those memories, I'm more fond of French toast. There's something about the crispy coating and tender interior that appealed to me even as a kid. Plus, French toast seemed open to more topping possibilities: a sprinkling of powdered sugar, a dash of cinnamon and sugar, a spoonful of apricot jam.

When it came my turn to prepare breakfast for overnight guests, I'd open my "Betty Crocker Cookbook for Boys and Girls," crack some eggs and make French toast. Set on a breakfast tray, the golden slices appear more elegant than a dripping pile of pancakes.

It wasn't until years later in high school when I made Sunday brunch for a French exchange student that I learned this dish probably wasn't French at all.

In France, they do serve a similar dish called pain perdu; made with bread, eggs and milk, it's a way to use "lost" or stale bread. Culinary historians believe the dish started with the same intent by peoples at different points around the globe.

But when it comes to the origin of what we call it, the experts are less clear. Some trace the name to "German toast" and, according to Wikipedia, the name in the U.S. was changed to French toast after World War I because of anti-German sentiment. Other sources claim the term "French toast" can be found in print in the U.S. as early as 1871, and the Oxford English Dictionary cites the term as early as 1660.

Still other sources credit the dish to a tavern in Albany, N.Y., in the 1720s. The inn's owner, Joseph French, apparently was no grammarian and called it French toast instead of French's toast.

On these shores most recipes start with white sandwich bread, but any drying, stale bread (such as French baguettes that quickly lose moisture) can be used to create this eggy toast. Do not open a fresh bag of bread in the morning and expect to make a good batch of French toast; the slices just turn to mush. Instead, use the end of a loaf or leave the slices on a plate the day before so they dry out and better absorb the liquid.

Experiment with sweet Italian panettone or cinnamon raisin swirl, even croissants and sour dough. Try savory French toast made with herbed ciabatta or hearty multigrain loaves.

As for the eggy part, I still generally use a ratio of two eggs to half-cup milk for six standard slices of bread -- that's Betty Crocker's way. Whole milk, cream, skim milk and even fruit juice can be used in this batter.

Some recipes also call for a couple tablespoons of flour to give the coating more heft, or some sugar to facilitate browning.

This mixture is very flexible. Some people add extra eggs to produce bits of fried egg at the edges of the toast, others like it spiked with vanilla or almond extract or Grand Marnier or rum.

Feel free to add spices such as cinnamon, cardamom or nutmeg to sweet dips or dried parsley, basil or thyme for savory preparations.

Here are a few recipes to give you inspiration. Try one out with your mom this weekend.

Orange-Laced French Toast Casserole with Caramelized Bacon

1 (1 pound) loaf French bread, sliced into ½-inch slices (about 12 slices)

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 pound bacon, divided

1½ cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoon orange zest

Juice from one orange

8 eggs

8 tablespoons butter, melted

¼ cup maple syrup

Powdered sugar for garnish

Orange slices for garnish

¾ cup (packed) light brown sugar

Grease a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish.

In a medium skillet, cook ½ pound bacon until cooked through and just under crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Spread a thin layer of cream cheese on one side of each slice of French bread. Place bread slices into prepared pan. Layer with cooked bacon slices. Top, sandwich style, with another bread slice.

In a large bowl, blend eggs, milk, cinnamon, zest, orange juice, butter and maple syrup until well combined. Pour mixture evenly over bread. Use a spatula to slightly press layers down to moisten. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Put in cold oven straight from refrigerator and turn oven to 325 degrees. Bake 60-90 minutes or until center is set and edges are golden brown. Casserole may need to be covered with foil midway through baking process. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with Caramelized Bacon Slices and oranges. Serve with warm maple syrup.

For the Caramelized Bacon: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil.

Place brown sugar in plastic bag. Add the remaining ½ pound bacon to the bag and toss to coat with sugar. Transfer bacon to a baking rack set on the aluminum lined baking tray. Bake bacon until dark golden brown, turning once, about 8 minutes per side. Allow to cool.

Serves eight.

Smithfield

Creamy Orange French Toast

¼ cup light cream

2 large egg yolks

Freshly grated zest of quarter of an orange

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 thick slices of panettone, cut in half

Confectioners' sugar, to dust

Strips of orange zest, to garnish

Orange cream

3 tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

¼ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the orange cream: Put the sour cream, confectioners' sugar, orange juice, and lemon juice in a bowl and stir until smooth and creamy. Set aside until needed.

For the French toast: Put the cream, egg yolks, grated orange zest, and juice and the sugar in a wide, shallow dish and beat well.

Heat the butter in a large, nonstick skillet. Dip each slice of panettone in the custard mixture, coating each side well, then arrange in the skillet. Spoon any remaining custard mixture over the toasts and fry for 2 minutes, or until golden underneath. Very carefully flip the toasts over and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more until golden.

Put 2 slices of French toast on each plate, then dust with confectioners sugar, drizzle over the orange cream and top with strips of orange zest.

Serves two.

"Easy Breakfast & Brunch" (2007 Ryland, Peters & Small, $19.95)

Panettone French Toast with Coconut Milk

¼ vanilla bean

¼ cup canned coconut milk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons superfine sugar

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 slices of panettone or other sweet bread

Confectioners' sugar, to dust

Blueberries, for garnish

Heavy or whipped cream, for garnish

Split the vanilla bean in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Put the coconut milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla seeds and cardamom, if using, in a bowl and beat well. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish.

Heat half the butter in a large skillet. Dip 2 slices of panettone into the egg mixture and sauté until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes for each side. Repeat with the remaining slices and serve dusted with confectioners' sugar and topped with the blueberries and whipped cream.

Serves four.

"Easy Breakfast & Brunch" (2007 Ryland, Peters & Small, $19.95)

Lemon-Berry French Toast Strata

1 bag (12 ounces) frozen mixed berries, thawed and drained

½ cup pure maple syrup, plus additional for serving

6 cups 1-inch cubes day-old country-style white bread with crusts (about 12 ounces or ¾ loaf)

7 large eggs

3½ cups milk (more if needed)

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

¼ teaspoon salt

Arrange rack in center of the oven and heat to 350 degrees. Lightly butter 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish or 14-inch oval gratin dish.

Drain thawed berries, reserving juice. Measure juice and milk to equal 4 cups.

Pour maple syrup into baking dish; scatter bread cubes and berries in dish.

In large bowl, whisk together eggs, juice/milk, lemon zest and salt; pour over bread cubes. Bake strata until puffed and golden brown, about 60 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool 5 minutes, then serve warm with additional maple syrup.

Serves eight to 10.

Adapted from Epicurious.com, May 2007

Monte Cristo Casserole

1 pound garlic or herbed loaf, cut into 1-inch cubes

1½ cups chopped ham, turkey or combination

1½ cups shredded Swiss cheese

6 large eggs

4 cups milk

1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard

Fresh ground pepper

Arrange rack in center of the oven and heat to 350 degrees. Lightly butter 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish or 14-inch oval gratin dish.

In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with meat and cheese; transfer to prepared pan.

In large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard and pepper; pour over cubes. Press lightly on bread to make sure all bread gets soaked. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 45-50 minutes. Serve warm.

Serves eight to 10.

Deborah Pankey