Dining Car Toast

For me, the most satisfying of all meals is weekend brunch. Companionable, indulgent and lazy, it turns the clock back to a time when life was slower and simpler. (Farther back than you might imagine, by the way. I used to think the word “brunch” was coined in this country about 50 years ago, but it’s actually English and dates from 40 years earlier.)

James Beard, one of the most outstanding American cooks and cookbook authors of the 20th century (he left us a legacy of 28 cookbooks), introduced me to his favorite brunch recipe, J.B.’s French Toast. He told me it was served in the dining cars on the Santa Fe Railroad. The crumbled-up corn flakes give every bite a crunch that is mighty good.

Adding a lightly sugared bowl of strawberries makes this a memorable meal.

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Cunningham’s newest book is “Learning to Cook With Marion Cunningham” (Alfred A. Knopf, 1999).

J.B.’s French Toast

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes * Easy

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups corn flakes

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

6 (1/2- to 3/4-inch thick) slices white bread

6 tablespoons sugar

* Combine eggs, milk, nutmeg and salt in shallow bowl, stirring briskly so mixture is blended well and uniform in color.

* Crumble corn flakes slightly (to make each flake about half its original size) and spread them in a layer on a piece of wax paper.

* Dip (don’t soak) both sides of each slice of bread in milk batter. Press each slice of bread into corn flakes to coat well.

* Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat and fry 3 slices of bread until golden brown on each side, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. When done, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon sugar on top of each slice and keep warm in 225-degree oven while frying other 3 slices in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Serve hot.

4 servings. Each serving: 430 calories; 735 mg sodium; 194 mg cholesterol; 17 grams fat; 58 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 0.16 gram fiber.