Fwd: on "French" toast

[James Smith]

"My dear old uncle Herman, says that french toast's
really german."

from It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

What is french toast called in German?

French toast is found in France, but the french call
it "pain perdu" - "lost bread" (which is reclaimed
through this preparation method).

As french toast is merely a grilled variety of bread
pudding - baked egg custard and old bread - I find it
hard to believe a Mr. French "invented" it.  (Or maybe
bread pudding is a baked variety of french toast:  how
do we know which came first?)


--- Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU> wrote:
> Can't remember at the moment what our prevailing
> wisdom was on
> "French toast".  Can anyone confirm or refute this
> story, just
> forwarded to me by one of our students?  It seems a
> bit
> etymythological to me, especially the
> not-knowing-proper-usage-of-the-apostrophe bit, but
> then French toast
> isn't found in France, unlike French fries (even if
> the latter are
> the national food of Belgium, and even if they're
> just called
> "frites" in both countries).
>
> larry
>
> --- begin forwarded text
>
> A toast to stupidity
>
> Apropos of the politicians who are expunging the
> word "French" from
> cafeteria menus, a gastronomic historian writes:
> "French toast was not
> invented in France. In fact, it was invented in
> Albany, NY. Tavern owner
> Joseph French is credited with inventing the famous
> breakfast in 1724.
> Supposedly, Mr. French didn't know the proper usage
> of the possessive
> apostrophe and, instead of 'French's toast' he put
> 'French toast' on his
> menu."
>
>
>          (from Joe Conason's Journal, on salon.com)
>
> --- end forwarded text


=====
James D. SMITH                 |If history teaches anything
South SLC, UT                  |it is that we will be sued
jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com     |whether we act quickly and decisively
                               |or slowly and cautiously.

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