Well I may be a day late, but friends, I am happy to be back! Since last April many things have changed, including the place where we live. After weeks of packing and crawling around boxes in our tiny old apartment, this past Sunday we finally moved to a lovely new home. It is a dream. Instead of having one cramped room that serves as kitchen, dining room and living room (you have no idea the stunts I had to pull to take decent photos!) our new place has, get this: a separate kitchen, dining room and living room! Windows abound, there’s a patio, a yard, and we’re 10 minutes walking distance from the beach. We are counting our blessings and feeling oh-so grateful, as is Oreo, who enjoyed her first visit to the beach on Wednesday.
Now that we’re getting settled I’m looking forward to sharing more recipes and stories with you. As we speak a delightful Strawberry Frozen Yogurt is chilling in the freezer, and since our oven was installed on Friday, today I’ve decided to post our first breakfast in our new home: cinnamon-nutmeg French toast topped with strawberries, blueberries, confectioners sugar and maple syrup. (I like my French toast toppings decadent.)
Although this dish is a snap to make I must confess that for most of my married life I’ve avoided it. Why? Well, I like my French toast slightly crunchy while my husband prefers his soggy. As a result we’d debate just how crunchy or soggy the French toast should be, and it would never come out “just right” for either of us. Frankly French toast became our version of this song, until we discovered the easily adaptable nature of Alton Brown’s recipe. Is there nothing that man can’t do? I swear he saved our marriage. 
As you can see below, AB’s french toast is made on the stove-top, then crisped in the oven - though for the purposes of my mis-matched French toast marriage, my husband forgoes the oven while I add 5 minutes to the baking time. (For 10 full minutes in the oven.) Voila! We’re both happy.
I’d write more but those of you who have endured the odyssey of moving know how much there is to be done, so alas, I must head off to Ikea. We’re hoping that wonderland of household goods will have a few much-needed items waiting for us.
Cinnamon-Nutmeg French Toast with Strawberries & Blueberries
Slightly adapted from Alton Brown’s recipe
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons honey, warmed in microwave for 20 seconds
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 8 (1/2-inch) slices day-old or stale country loaf, brioche or challah bread
- 4 tablespoons butter
The night before, slice your bread and put it on a cooling rack to dry out over night. This will help it absorb more of the custard. (Not letting the bread dry out will result in soggy slices that fall apart.)
The next morning:
In medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, honey, and salt. You may do this the night before. When ready to cook, pour custard mixture into a pie pan and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Dip bread into mixture, allow to soak for 30 seconds on each side, and then remove to a cooling rack that is sitting in a sheet pan, and allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes.
Over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan. Place 2 slices of bread at a time into the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on rack in oven for 5 minutes. Repeat with all 8 slices. Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream or frui
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This entry was posted on Saturday, June 28th, 2008 by Ariela and is filed under Breakfast. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
36 Comments.
Welcome back and congratulations again on your new home. I think the French Toast is a wonderful breakfast to start of with in your new home. Yum!
Paz
Looks delicious!
Congrats on the move! Which beach? (I don’t even know which coast you’re on.)
I guess this is what they meant when they said marriage is about compromise. LOL.
I just moved too! I am still crawling around boxes and shopping for new household goods.
Isn’t french toast amazing? ..A ten minuite walk to the beach!! Im soo jealous!!
Well, my pancake menu for Sunday breakfast just flew out the window! This is my kinda French toast…heavy on the berries!
What a beautiful and tasty way to start a weekend morning!
What a great way to start the day in a new home! Sounds like you are going to have a blast!
Welcome back. Glad you have more space. And the french toast looks wonderful.
I think you are shooting fish in a barrel with this yummy recipe
Hold out for the good stuff! What a totally wonderful solution for you both. Have to admit Ari, AB really is a wonder. His are always shows I can enjoy, his books and recipes are as right on as Cook’s Illustrated.
A new home is a joy!
The french toast looks grand!
I love French Toast! Yours looks very pretty and terribly delicious!
Cheers,
Rosa
Congratulations on your new home, and glad you’re blogging again!
Welcome back. Here is some imaginary salt and loaf of bread to celebrate your new home!
Yay! I found your blog right before you went away and I just told my boyfriend how disappointed I was that you hadn’t been posting! You’ve certainly inspired blog ideas of my own…congratulations on the move, your place sounds perfectly ideal and I’m looking forward to reading more posts!
Wow, it’s depressing that I’d never thought of putting French toast in the oven to make it crispier. It seems so common sensical. Maybe it was just too obvious. Also, congratulations on the new house. I can’t wait to see what new heights your cooking will reach in that vast kitchen space.
Congrats on your new home.
congrats on the new home!
meanwhile, i’d probably eat a wad of paper if it was spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg (my favorite combination) and drizzled with lots and lots of maple syrup, but i think bread is a much better vehicle.
Congratulations on finally getting settled into your new home. I see many long walks and lovely outdoor dinners in your future.
So, I have already left a comment on this one, but I had to say that I tried this recipe this morning and was totally skeptical about leaving the bread out overnight, but it was divine. Very tasty and crisped up nicely in the oven. I used blackberries, since that is what my husband prefers, and we had a great start to our Sunday!
Paz - Thank you!
Kitt - Thanks! I’m on the East coast so Oreo was running around in the Atlantic waters (the Long Island sound, technically).
Tarie - Ain’t that the truth. Congrats on your move and have fun shopping for new household goodies!
Jessy - It really is. I hadn’t realized just how much until we tried AB’s recipe.
Mari - I love berries on just about everything, but especially in the morning. I hope you enjoyed the french toast!
RuthL - It was pretty nice. Sigh. But now it’s Sunday night and tomorrow it’s Monday, lol.
Tartelette - I hope so! At the very least our new digs are a big improvement over the old place.
Courtney - Thank you.
Jeff - Ha, maybe so.
Can you blame a gal for sharing a sure thing like this after two months away from blogging?
MyKitchenInHalfCups - I completely agree with you. AB is one of the few people I watch with 100% attention on television, whether on Good Eats, Feasting on Asphalt… whatever!
Rosa - Thanks!
Madam Chow - Me too, I missed connecting with all of you.
Nancy - Aw, thank you sweetie!!
Desiree - What a kind thing to say, thank you! Sorry I disappeared for a bit, but I’m back now, I swear.
Travis - Don’t be so hard on yourself, neither I nor my husband ever thought of using the oven either, lol.
Peabody - Gracias.
Grace - Hehe, cinnamon and nutmeg is one of my favorite combos too. I even add those flavors to coffee.
Lydia - I hope your prophecies ring true!
Desiree - Not only am I thrilled that you tried (and enjoyed) the dish, but I’m so happy you came back to tell me about your experience! I may have to add blackberries to my french toast next time too.
yay! you’re back! oh how i’ve missed you!
welcome back! and congratulations on your new home
what a delicious sunday!
Good luck in your new home! It sounds so exciting
Great picture of Oreo too!
Congrats on the new home. It sounds fantastic, I’ve gone the opposite direction and moved to a smaller home. I’m loving not having to clean three bathrooms and vacuum 5 bedrooms. We still have a good size kitchen though.
I’ve never dried out the bead the night before for French Toast so I’m looking forward to trying it.
Well congrats on the move!! I sooo know how frantic and crazy that can get! And Oreo looks thrilled! I have a lab that loves the water as well and I’m sure would give just about anything to be in Oreo’s new home
And tell me this wasn’t just fate…my husband and I have the same issues with French Toast so I’m def. gonna have to give this a try! Thanks for the recipe!
Congrats on your new home- as an apartment dweller, I’m very jealous! Although I love pancakes, waffles, muffins and the like, I’ve always avoided french toast because I hate how soggy it normally is. In fact, the only one I’ll eat usually is my husband’s awesome baked version with fruit…but yours sounds like it might be worth a try
Yes, moving is not so fun, but settling into a new house (especially one with more room!) is a wonderful thing! I love French toast, but have never tried this version. It looks amazing!
That french toast sounds perfect! And your toppings are delicious…what a fantastic breakfast!
Enjoy your new home! It sounds awesome
awesome! cuz i have so much leftover challah i don’t know what to do with it all!
Congratulations again on your new home! What a wonderful journey you have ahead of you!
Your french toast loooks delicious and I have to agree that there seems to be nothing Alton Brown can’t do!
It’s good to have you back!
Sarah
The new home sound fabulous, Ari! So glad to have you back.
Ari it is so lovely to see you back. Your new house sounds wonderful, I can’t imagine living that close to the beach! Your French toast looks absolutely yummy. I’m looking forward to my next Ari’s food fix already.
Thank you are all the warm welcome back messages! Hugs to everyone.
Ariela,
Congrats on the new move…and being near the beach! What a treat. This breakfast looks superb.
Sarah’s last blog post -> Chicken Waldorf Salad, Peach Streusel Coffee Cake, and a German Pancake