German toast?

Barnhart ADS-L at HIGHLANDS.COM
Sat Feb 10 21:10:29 UTC 2001


I've been interested in the origin of French toast and German toast.
One speculation is that French toast was concocted first by a Mr.
French about 1724 in Albany, N.Y.  The earliest evidence I've found for
the term (for the egg variety) is 1882 (OEDs).  Several sources have
mentioned the name French toast as an alternative arising from distaste
of things German in the wake of WW-I.  They suggest that the name was
German toast.  Dictionaries do not seem to have included German toast.
Nexis has only a few examples.  Making of America has none that I could
find.  Any suggestions for further current or 19th century evidence of
German toast and for the origin of French toast (the egg variety) would
be gratefully received.

David Barnhart

barnhart at highlands.com



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