French toast is a beloved breakfast food enjoyed around the world. But why do we call it French? Is it even from France? There’s not a straightforward answer to that question, but the answer is “sort of.” Because of its name, we think of French toast as being from France, but the French can really only take credit for popularizing it, if that. The history of French toast that led to it becoming a breakfast staple is more complicated than merely being a French invention.
Why do we call this breakfast food French toast if it’s not really from France? Let’s look at the history and find out.
Bread in the Ancient World
The earliest known recipes for what resembles modern French toast date back to ancient Rome. It was a meal eaten by poorer citizens to avoid wasting food. They called it pan perdu, which translates to “lost bread,” and they made it from stale bread. To make the hard, old bread edible again, they soaked it in milk and eggs to soften it and then fried it in butter. This really is a case of getting it right the first time, as the modern recipe for French toast is very similar to the ancient pan perdu.
Over the centuries, pan perdu spread across Europe, including France, where it was called pain perdu. It wouldn’t be until the 19th century, however, that the dish we call French toast began to be associated with France.
The French Take Credit
We don’t know exactly when or why we started calling French toast “French.” Multiple theories explain the origins, but two ideas are cited most often. The first attributes the name to Jean Aubergeau, a French chef credited with popularizing French toast in the United States. The other theory is that it was simply a marketing ploy. By calling fried eggy bread “French toast,” the dish became more appealing, and restaurants across the country adopted the name. No matter what the truth is, the name stuck.
Enjoy a Delicious Breakfast at The English Muffin
Whether French toast is actually French or not, it’s a delicious addition to any breakfast. At The English Muffin, our breakfast menu includes everything you could possibly want to start your day, including French toast! If you really want to treat yourself, you have to try our Cinnamon Roll French Toast.
