F is for Friday

Growing up we were lucky enough to have our mum work from home.  Hen was always there to pick us up from the school bus and supply us with unending amounts of bread and strawberry jam while we watched Round The Twist.  But running a busy business from home with three children, constantly falling out of trees or wanting to use the the photocopier to photocopy their faces, is not the easiest of tasks.  Fridays were work days, and to control the peace Kimmy came to look after us. 

Fridays soon became the most looked forward day of the week as we were soon bewitched by Kimmy's wicked sense of humour and adventure.  She not only let me wear her frosted pink lipstick but also taught me the words to every Bananarama song.  One Friday, probably grasping at straws to keep us amused, Kim put her Sesame Street hat on and announced that we would only do things beginning with the letter F.  Cue three children with their feet covered in poster paint walking across a giant sheet of paper in the back kitchen and then, as a reward for our artistic efforts, French toast.

French Toast

I'm aware that this barely needs a recipe but it is one of my favorite things to eat.  I'm also aware that most people place French toast in the sweet category (a fact that I didn't find out until my early twenties) and the thought of having French toast with sugar or strawberries is just plain wrong.  I could push to bacon and maple syrup but that's the limit. 

During the years that Kimmy was looking after us my passions were firmly centred around Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, so much so that I had a gigantic Kylie poster on the ceiling above my bed which is a little bit gay.  It was a platonic girl crush, honest.  Anyway, to cut a flashback short, Kim used to make us "Kylie and Jason French toast" with the French toast cut up and lovingly arranged around the plate in the shape of an 80's perm (for Kylie) or a mullet (for Jason).  Nose, eyes and mouth were courtesy of Heinz tomato ketchup. Delicious and still the only thing I want went I'm ill.


I've now grown up a bit (a smidgen) and like my French toast pimped up a little.  Chilli for heat, oregano to bring some Italiano to the mix and served with tomato salad or charcuterie.  Or baked beans if I'm being a bad foodie.  The bread must be white but make sure it's decent.

Serves 2

4 slices of white bread

4 eggs

milk, a splash

chilli flakes

oregano - fresh if possible, dried if not

salt and pepper

Beat the eggs, milk, oregano, chilli flakes and salt and pepper together.  Soak the bread in the mixture until all is absorbed.  Heat a good glug of olive oil in a thick bottomed frying pan.  When the oil is hot, fry each piece until golden and crisp on each side.