Is French toast really French?

French toast, that bit of gastronomical yumminess which is made by bread soaked in eggs and milk, then fried, is known by different names in different parts of the world.

The origins of french toast are not entirely clear, but long before this sweet snack was called “french toast," similar recipes were being whipped up all around the world. One of the earliest versions of french toast has been traced back to the Roman Empire. The name “french toast" was first used in 17th-century England. The recipe and name were brought to America by early settlers.

So, if the French did not invent the modern French toast, who did? According to legend, it was an Albany, New York, innkeeper named Joseph French. He created the dish in 1724, and advertised it as "French Toast" because he was grammatically inept and forgot the apostrophe.

In France, the dish is called “pain perdu," meaning “lost bread." It was called lost bread as it was made from the stale bread so as to reuse it.

Click here to know other names and forms of french toast.