French Toast Sandwich with Elephants

After an acquaintance dyed cake batter black unbeknownst to us, frosted it with red icing, cut and served it to us, broke into gales of screaming laughter and rolled on the floor, I thought "Hmmm."

This occurred after he had made a pot of stew with popcorn and pickles in it. Perhaps he actually wanted to be a pop food artist, but would not admit it, because it was not "manly" enough. That was in the days before chef based reality shows. Fighting in the Gulf War was apparently manly and the odd foods were served at a kind of going away to the desert party. Some though this chef wanted to do something so odd and annoying in order that we would not forget him if he did not return. Those of us in attendance began to head for the door.

However, this Persian Gulf inclined oddball brought out a good frying pan and prepared a recipe similar to the one listed below (I have added ingredients over the years.)

It was quite good.

(Oh, did he come back? Yes, and disappeared into the land of OOOOO-klahoma, where elephants stand in the corn fields to measure whether the corn is yet eye-high. Or is that Munchkin Land?)

INGREDIENTS

• Cast Iron Skillet
• Large but shallow Bowl or Pan - a cake pan would do.
• Sourdough Bread
• 1 Large Egg per sandwich
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 or 2 slices of Deli Boiled Ham or sliced Baked Ham from another meal
• 2 slices of Swiss, Muenster, or Sharp Cheddar Cheese per sandwich. Some diners enjoy Pepper Jack instead, or add a Tablespoon of a good Pimento Cheese Spread in the center.
• Cream or Whole Milk
• A dash of Nutmeg and Cinnamon
• Vegetable Oil or Butter

OPTIONAL FILLING ADDITIONS

• Thinly sliced and lightly sauteed Bermuda or Vidalia Onion
• Thinly sliced and lightly sauteed Green Bell Pepper Rings
• 2 cooked but not crunchy rashers of Bacon per sandwich
• Other, of your choice

INSTRUCTIONS

• Mix about 2-inches high an amount of milk and the eggs together very well in the pan you have selected. Add salt and pepper to your taste preference as well as nutmeg and cinnamon and mix well.
• Build sandwiches upward with a slice of bread on the bottom, 1 slice cheese, meat, a small mount of any other filling you prefer, another cheese slice, and top bread slice.
• Heat the frying pan over a medium level of heat.
• Add oil or butter to coast the bottom of the hot pan.
• Dip a sandwich into the egg mixture, turning over twice to ensure complete coverage.
• Cook the sandwich on the first side until golden brown, checking with a spatula, and turn the sandwich and repeat. Each side may take 4-5 minutes, and turn down the heat of the sandwich is cooking too quickly, to avoid burning.
• Use additional oil or butter for each sandwich as needed.

You can also make a smaller sandwich by using only one bread slice, cut diagonally, to make a half sandwich.

For additional ideas, see Doctor Toast's Amazing World of Toast.