OT: non-BGE french toast question

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

Hi.
Going to an Olympics party tonight where we each bring something to serve which is 'related' to a country. it's more of an excuse to just get together, and sometimes the food is funny rather than gourmet. no one's going very complicated. in fact, i expect my middle brother to bring yodels with toothpick-swiss-flags stuck in 'em.

we're doing simple sandwichey appetizers of 'canadian' bacon (homemade) and 'french' toast.

so, the question: i'm going to do some with a sliver of brie, which ideally would soften under the heat. would you say i should do these as sort of montechristos, by assembling the ham(pre-seared), raw cheese, raw bread and then dipping them in the batter and cooking them? ...or should i do the toast separately as mini french toasts, and then assemble them? i like a little custardy middle to the bread, but think it might be safer for the crowd to assemble them cooked, and drier in the middle.

going to pan sear the canadian bacon in either case, for a little color and flavor. also serving with maple syrup, which, like good new englanders, we have a surfeit of. maybe a gallon and a half here. never have too much!

we have about an hour travel time, too. going to try to keep them warm wrapped in foil and kept in a bread basket with a warming stone.

thoughts? quasi-montechirsto style or assembled 'dry' (already cooked)?

overthinkingly yours,
stike

(ps. had to decline an invite to essexco's house tonight. said invites are gold. this party better be good!)

crghc98

If you are doing some withouth brie I would do those separate and the ones with brie as a montechristo.....I have to believe if you like brie you would like the softer center....kind of the same textures.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

good thinking.
only a few folks will probably like the custard-center of the bread. best to aim low. hahahaha

Fidel

I'd go with the dry assembly approach, simply because I think they would keep better for the travel time and have less chance for the whole thing to turn into a soggy mess.

If that invite to dine with essexco is still open let him know I can be there around 7:30, but warn him I am socially awkward and don't know when I've worn out my welcome.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

thanks, mang.
i might toss some rice in there too, for a little crunch.

i will pass along your willingness to crash essexco's party. i'm sure he'd be happy to have you.

Frank from Houma

I would precook the "pan perdu" and assemble dry - I think it will travel better.

Don't be a wuss :ohmy: do it on the Egg

You could assemble go back on the Egg then double wrap with HDAF

Cpt'n Cook

It would probably be quicker to drive over to my house with all that stuff and watch the Olympics here. You could even use my egg. Don't forget the Bourbon.

mkc

I don't know if it would work in the application, but we are very fond of making french toast waffles.

Basically, cook the french toast in a waffle iron instead of a skillet. You get the flavor of french toast with the little waffle wells to hold syrup. It might also work for cooking Monte Cristo-style sandwiches if you used a Belgian waffle iron.

thirdeye

...no one's going very complicated

Hehee. Take some pictures please, these sound good but I need a visual.

Another option for something French (and non complicated), smoke some fatties, slice and top with some fancy cheeses. Call them Faa-tays and tell folks it's a charcuterie thing ...this works like a charm. Oh yeah, if you don't pick up a bottle of good Calvados you will have missed the whole theme.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

yep. doing pain perdu. just made the batter and am letting it meld a bit. dinner is at four, leave at three. probably start making the stuff around 2.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

you are further away from me than derry, nh.
nice try. hahaha

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

i'm doing app sized pieces of bread. basically cutting a small french loaf on an angle. but the idea of doing bigger pieces and using a waffled iron is pretty interesting. i basically use those voids and dimples in waffles as conveyance for the syrup, reapplying the syrup as it gets absorbed. my wife likes just a little syrup (if any! sacrilege!).

i'll give the waffle idea a chance for breakfast. maybe tomorrow. just cut up four pounds of homemade bacon, too.

now if i just had a chicken coop...

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

aw that's not comlicated, is it? i'm just making small sang-wiches/? :laugh:

calvados sounds good. hmmmm

calvados and fatties.

hahahaha

crghc98

Calvados and a big fat cigar Guy I hike with used to bring it over from france....took the enamel off my teeth