If you don’t think grammar or punctuation is important, consider the widely popular breakfast item that we know as french toast. Where many still believe, in the face of contradicting evidence, that french toast is a culinary invention of the actual French people, the breakfast delight actually enjoys a somewhat international history which happens to include an unfortunate punctuation error.
According to some internet sources, the population of the Roman Empire enjoyed a version of french toast that they referred to as pan dulcis. This bread, milk and egg concoction was fried in oil or butter and served any time of the day.
It appears that 15th-century England also enjoyed its share of their version of french toast. Called “lost bread” or “pain perdu”, the simple recipe called for stale bread to be soaked in a mixture of milk and eggs and fried. Sound familiar? It should, pain perdu is what the french call french toast today.
Americans got their first taste of french toast when an innkeeper in Albany, New York replicated the dish in 1724. But being an innkeeper, and apparently not a grammar ex, Joseph French inadvertently left off the apostrophe when he named his creation French’s Toast. Therefore, the delicious concoction that we enjoy today is known as french toast, leaving the culinary genius in the sidebars of history.
As one of Manchester’s favorite breakfast restaurants, we offer a huge all-day breakfast menu that features our amazing variety of french toast. Ask the locals and they’ll tell you that our Captain Crunch french toast is worth the hype it receives. Visit us at our Elm St. location for great food served by the friendliest staff in town. We’re looking forward to seeing you.
