Ojiichan’s French toast

My grandfather, Ojiichan, was a quiet man of many talents.  He was a chemist, a skillful gardener who grew wonderful tomatoes and strawberries in New Jersey, and an elegant calligrapher – I still remember his precise handwriting as he showed me the Japanese characters for my favorite colors.

He also developed some culinary specialties, including a unique kind of French toast that my mother still makes.  Unlike the usual French toast, this one is battered only on one side; the other is simply buttered before going into the skillet.

Making the batter is straightforward – eggs and milk, seasoned with cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla.  I like to use multi-grain bread, which comes in thin slices but stands up well to the batter.  The crunchy grains also offer a nice textural contrast to the velvety interior of the French toast.

Once the batter is ready, simply butter (generously) one side of each slice of bread.  I prefer salted butter, since it’s a nice contrast to the sweetness of the batter.  Place the bread buttered-side down in the skillet, as if you were making a grilled cheese sandwich, then pour or ladle the batter carefully over the unbuttered side of the bread, letting it soak in.  Once the bread is browned, flip it over and let the eggy side cook briefly.

Ojiichan’s French toast
2 eggs
2 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt
3 slices bread
Salted butter, softened

Beat eggs in a small bowl, along with milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt.

Butter one side of each piece of bread, fairly generously.

Place bread butter-side down in a large skillet, over medium-low heat.  Carefully ladle some of the egg mixture over each piece of bread, being sure not to allow the egg to overflow.  After it absorbs, spoon on a bit more depending on how much egg remains.

Cook for 3-4 minutes, until bread is browned on the buttered side.  Flip and cook an additional 2 minutes until eggy side of bread is also slightly browned.  The bread will puff up once it’s flipped.

Remove to a warm plate.  If desired, serve with maple syrup, honey, or fresh fruit.

3 slices is about enough for one person; scale up recipe depending on how many you plan to serve