French Toast Meets Italian Balsamic

There’s something magical about modern food culture. We have access to all these foods from across the globe and a cohesive access to learning about the cultures they came from.

I’m obsessed with learning about food, where it comes from, and why it’s so special. Take note: obsessed is not a word I use in hyperbole. I’ve spent countless hours of my life shamelessly learning about food. Countless hours watching videos about making chocolate, baking and perfecting the art of baking the croissant, sun-drying tomatoes, fermenting all things from kombucha to miso, aging vinegars, and most things in between. I love the access I have to learning about these foods and the cultures attached to their existence.

French toast… not even French! Apparently its origins can be traced back to the Roman Empire, Roman Britain to be a bit more precise. Fascinating.

After falling in love with learning about balsamic, I subsequently developed an intense respect for the luxury Italian vinegar.

Here’s my thought process: French toast, a beloved breakfast thanks to roman times, deserved to meet another beloved Italian food item, as a sort of… reconciliation, right??? As in, hey (British) French toast, we’re sorry for ruling over you… here’s our apology, balsamic vinegar!

Does that even make sense? Am I incredibly confused on the history of all of these foods? Maybe. But I’m not confused on whether savory French Toast with a generous dousing of balsamic vinegar was a good idea or not… because it was.

Savory Balsamic French Toast

Things I used:

Sourdough: I picked up a fresh loaf of Miners Sourdough from my local farmer’s market. The quality of the bread prevails through the frying process. Check out my tip on buying the best sourdough here!

Egg: 1 egg per slice of bread is a safe rule of thumb in my kitchen

Dried basil

Black pepper

Pink Himalayan sea salt

Heirloom tomato: I’m blessed with my grandma’s green thumb producing the best tomatoes every summer. I used a homegrown chocolate stripes from our backyard. Again, I’m blessed. Don’t worry if you don’t have a grandma who specializes in tomato-growing. Try finding a fun colored heirloom from your local farmers market or grocery store!

Fresh Italian parsley

Aged balsamic vinegar: I use the Kirkland brand from Costco. This is a traditional aged balsamic from Modena, Italy. If you’re a geek like me, watch this.

How I did it:

In a bowl, gently whisk the egg, dried basil, pepper, and salt together to combine

Soak both sides of the bread in the mixture while waiting for the pan to reach a medium heat on the stove

In a bit of olive oil, toast both sides of the sourdough until a nice golden colored is achieved

Serve the French toast with sliced heirloom tomato, fresh parsley, and balsamic vinegar

Option of serving with sautéed mushrooms and spinach is encouraged

I hope you enjoyed this sliver of insight into my fascination with food and culture, and how I brought the two into my kitchen for a fun twist on a classic breakfast.

Enjoy!