Fluffy French Toast

We drove down to Los Angeles for Steve’s appointment on Friday May 13 for a lung biopsy that the ENT Doctors insisted he get before they can diagnose what is going on with his throat. The appointment was for 8am so we stayed over on Thursday at our usual hotel , "The Royal Palace" in Westwood Village near UCLA and close to the VA as well. A palace it is not but they redid the rooms and it is pleasant and clean. Friday was a very long day with 7 ½ hours in the hospital. After lung biopsies you have to be observed for several hours to make sure the lung did not collapse then there was the long wait to put in the travel allowance and finally back to the hotel for a much needed rest.
Saturday we drove north, stopping in Santa Barbara for lunch at our fav place, The Brewhouse. They always have the best hearty soups as well as a plethora of sandwiches, salads and other main course lunch items. That day it was "Green Posole" chuck full of posole and pork. Homeward bound after lunch. It was still windy and cold but it was so good to be back in our own bed that night.

Neither of us can sleep very well. Steve gets these coughing spasms and is up practically choking. I was so worried as they told him to rest 3-4 days and if he couldn’t breathe or was gasping, to get to the emergency room as the lung probably had collapsed. Great. We made it through the night and he seemed fine.
Brunch was going to happen and we were both looking forward to our, now "ritual" Sunday mornings. As he sleeps I am up putzing around. I turn on the Cooking Channel to watch these guys cooking on beaches or in the street in foreign countries while sitting or squatting down and wonder why I watch that stuff. At least it is a diversion from the usual Food Channel bores.

I love to set our table. It is a simple presentation but choosing the place mats, napkins, plates and champagne flutes really sets the stage. The chairs are placed around the table so we both have ocean views as opposed to evening TV views.
While the food is simmering or baking away I make the bed and get dressed. Our bedroom is visible from the dining area and how gross it would be to sit and look at last night’s rumpled bed covers plus eating while in my sweats doesn’t do it either. .

I had a nice chunk of my girlfriend, Vilia’s, homemade cinnamon dried fruit bread and had been thinking about French Toast ever since I tasted it. My recipe is pretty much a “Souffleed” French Toast but I love that I called it “Fluffy“ back in the 80’s when I wrote the recipe. The eggs are separated, whites beaten to stiff peaks, yolks seasoned and beaten until thick then combined with the whites so it looks like souffle batter.

                                                             "Fluffy French Toast"
3 lg. eggs
1 T. sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cardamon or allspice
¼ c. heavy cream
4-6 slices good bread
1 T. butter
1 T. oil ( I use grapeseed as it has a neutral flavor)

Separate eggs. Beat whites with the sugar until stiff peaks form. Whip yolks with spices and cream until they are thick and lemon colored. Fold whites into yolks. Pour half of the batter into a shallow dish or casserole. Lay the slices of bread over it and spoon the rest of the batter over spreading it between the slices to coat thoroughly. Set aside for 20-30 min so the bread will absorb the batter.

In a large skillet, heat butter and oil. Saute the bread until it is toasted on both sides and puffy. Keep warm.

When I first made this I served it with “Mama’s Fruit Salad” from Mama’s Café in San Francisco. It was one of ours and our friends favorite brunches which is how this recipe has survived over 25 years. The fruit I cut up today was more “in season”, blueberries, strawberries, white peaches, nectarines, mango and a not quite in season melon. I tossed it with a few spoonfuls of my Roasted Rhubarb that is still hanging in there in the frig.

Trader Joe’s Chicken breakfast sausages were sauteed up in a little oil until browned then anointed with a douse of chicken stock and a sprinkling of my brown sugar-chipotle rub. I covered the little skillet and heated it until bubbly. Now don’t think this is weird, but when I have leftover cooked bacon I freeze it. So, having about 3 good looking spiced bacon slices fresh out of the freezer, I laid them over the top of the sausages and placed them in a 350* oven just before I started to saute the French Toast. The glazed sausages and the bacon heated perfectly without drying out or getting soggy.

I kicked up the Organic maple syrup from T.J’s by adding a handful of frozen berries and heating it so it turned into “Berry Syrup”.

We popped a bottle of the Orange labeled Blason de Bourgoune Cremant Brut Reserve from Trader Joe's and had a rather somber toast to Steve's health.

He just kicked back and watched sports of sorts on the flat screen. I prepped rhubarb for marmalade. Whole Foods in Westwood had organic rhubarb so I snagged a few lbs.
I follow a few blogs devoted to canning and preserving, Tigress in a Jam, What Julia Ate and Hitchhiking to Heaven. One of these days, I thought I better get in the game and share a few of my mils of recipes. Starting today I guess!