Lost Bread (known as Pain Perdu in France or “French Toast” in other parts) was one of my favorite breakfast treats when I was little, and of course, MawMaw was always happy to oblige. You can pan fry the battered bread in a pat of butter, but I like to bake it so that all of the slices are done at the same time.

It’s a quick, filling treat that you can feed to the herd while you’re busy with holiday preparations.

Lost Bread

• butter – for greasing the pan and as a topping
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• splash of vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 8 slices stale, day-old, or lightly toasted bread
• powdered sugar, honey, or syrup as a topping

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking pan or cookie sheet with butter.

Combine the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk until blended thoroughly.

Dip the slices into the batter one slice at a time. Coat both sides and place on the buttered baking pan.

Pop into the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the batter is no longer liquid, but not so long that the toast turns too dark.

Turn the slices and bake for another 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and immediately top with butter. Sprinkle powdered sugar or drizzle syrup on top.

Serve hot – easy to do when you bake them instead of fry them.

In the olden days, MawMaw used to use French bread (baguettes) that had hardened or what we call the bird bread (the ends) to make Lost Bread. As always, though, follow MawMaw’s advice and use what you have on hand.

Bon appétit, friends!