In "Historically Yours", Olivier Poels takes us to the origins of French toast, this poor man's dish which has its origins in the early years of the Roman Empire, before gaining its acclaim a few centuries later at the table of Henri IV and spread throughout the world.

The columnist also delivers his recipe for French toast, available in a savory version.

It is a dessert that can be declined in many savory recipes: French toast.

In "Historically Vôtre" on Europe 1, Olivier Poels delivers the recipe for a dish of his choice every day, explaining its origins.

Tuesday, the culinary chronicler looks at the history of this dish which is probably one of the oldest desserts in gastronomy known to date, since its first mention dates back to the first century BC. 

A dish that dates back to the Roman Empire

It is in his

 ten-volume

treatise

De re coquinaria

[On the subject of cooking] that the Roman author Marcus Gavius ​​Apicius (approximately -25 BC - 37 AD) mentions French toast.

This is the oldest known written record on this dish, which was not yet called French toast under the Roman Empire.

But the basis of the ingredients is already there, as the recipe of this figure of Roman high society attests.

Stale bread soaked in milk and fried in oil, all garnished with honey, the equivalent of sugar at the time.  

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From a poor man's dish to a dish prized by kings and aristocracy

In the 13th century, we see the mention of "pain ferré", while the name "lost bread" probably occurs between the 14th and the 15th century.

But then it is only a kind of bread donut.

The recipe for French toast as we know it, sweet, appears in the 17th century.

Originally a poor man's dish, French toast has nevertheless managed to find its way to the upper echelons of French society, even reaching the king's table.

Legend has it that Henri IV, king from 1589 to 1610, was fond of it. 

It was from there that French toast, a dish now prized by the aristocracy, was exported all over the world.

It is found in particular in the kingdom of England under the name of French Bread.

Note that here "french" does not mean "French", but is derived from Old Irish.

And in this language, "french" would mean "cut".

Nothing to do with homage to our gastronomy.

Stale bread, or brioche

If it is also available in savory versions, the traditional recipe for French toast is indeed sweet.

To start, you need stale bread.

The big fashion now in trendy restaurants is to use brioche instead.

But it can decompose before cooking.

For four nice slices of stale bread, you need a few spoons of vanilla sugar and a little milk.

Soak the bread before baking it in a hot pan with fat.

For a salty variation, you can simply replace the vanilla sugar with grated cheese.

This will bring a grilled and au gratin side which is really interesting.

Note that it is possible to use different types of cheese. 

Ingredients for 4 persons :

- 4 nice slices of stale brioche or bread

- 2 eggs

- 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar or grated cheese to make a salty version 

- 10 centiliters of milk

The summary of the recipe steps: 

1.

Mix the milk, eggs and sugar

2.

 Dip the brioche or bread slices

3.

Fry them in butter

4.

 Serve according to your taste with jam or a scoop of vanilla ice cream