Emotional French Toast
And I speak to artist John Booth
Last month I gave birth to our son, Eli. The last three weeks have already been the most fulfilling and transformative of my life. He is the coolest fella I’ve ever met. I imagine my approach to dinners will change a fair bit now I’m a Mum, and I look forward to sharing these changes with you along the way. Today I bring you a breakfast that got us through last week, full of sweet energy and comfort which is exactly what these mornings require. Further down I’m interviewing talented artist John Booth, who I talk to about birthday dinners, sausages and crisps.
I feel like this is a fitting recipe to share for my first newsletter as a Mum, because French toast for me is synonymous with the film Kramer vs. Kramer, in which Dustin Hoffman cooks it for his son after his wife has left them in what I think is one of the most moving moments of cinema. The emotional intensity of the scene is so perfect: there’s the comedy of Ted folding the bread to fit in the mug in which he’s whisked the eggs, the telling tenderness of 7-year old Billy telling his Dad where to find the kitchen implements, building to a crescendo of anger and tragedy as Ted burns his hand on the red-hot cast iron pan.
I rewatched Kramer vs. Kramer on Boxing Day last year, when I was pregnant but didn’t know I was, and bawled my eyes out for the entire film. More than any other time I had watched it (and I always cry at it). Now that I am actually a parent, I imagine if I watched the film again I would weep with renewed intensity, as I did when those hormones were unknowingly first coursing through my veins.
Making French toast has always been exciting to me because of this film. So when we saw a loaf of challah at the supermarket we had to buy it because challah makes the best French toast and that’s just the truth. Recently I cooked it like I used to do when I was at university, with soft plums and cinnamon sugar. It’s hard to beat!
I made challah earlier this year on a really great Bread Ahead bakery course (above) and it was honestly one of the most satisfying bakes I’ve ever cooked. One day I will do this again, but in the meantime the version Waitrose sells is pretty good. Hope you enjoy this breakfast folks!
A head’s up that until 30th October you can get 20% off a paid WTYCT subscription here. Paid Subscribers can still get discounts at the Tinned Fish Market, Salter and Odysea until October 18th! Find my picks from all three and the discount codes here.
