The Origin Of French Toast

French toast is popular (mainly as a breakfast meal) in North America, parts of Europe and China. The origin of French toast is uncertain, as is its name. Recipes dating back to the sixteenth century have been found, and it appears to have been widespread throughout Europe. Each country appears to have had its own name for it.

In France, it was called "pain perdu" (lost bread), as it was a way of using bread that had gone stale and would otherwise perhaps be thrown away (in other words, lost bread).

In England, it has been called "Poor Knight's Pudding" or "Poor Knight's of Windsor". Again, this may be a reference to the use of stale bread, so it is associated with the need of poor people to not throw away food. The reference to Knight is less certain, but as eggs and milk would have perhaps been beyond the normal means of a poor peasant, the meal is perhaps more applicable to a Poor Knight (who, although relatively poor, would be more able than the average peasant to afford the eggs and milk).

A similar pattern is to be found in Finland, where the basic recipe was called "köyhät ritarit" (poor knight's) but if sugar and jam were added (relatively expensive ingredients at the time) it was called "rikkaat ritarit" (rich knight's).

In America there were a number of names for the recipe, but it was perhaps most commonly known as "German Toast" prior to World War I. However, anti-German sentiment at that time resulted in it being renamed to "French Toast". Since 2003 the anti-French sentiment in parts of the USA resulting from opposing positions over the Iraq war has resulted in it being renamed to "Freedom Toast" in the White House, US Congress and some restaurants. At about the same time these institutions also renamed "French Fries" to "Freedom Fries".