There was a time when riding the rails was a luxurious and exciting prospect, thousands making their way around the country on trains composed of sleeper, observation, and dining cars all appointed in very fine style. Every railroad had at least one signature dish served on custom-made plates atop pristine white tablecloths by waiters in formal restaurant attire. It was a grand experience.
Several years ago I was given a book devoted to the food served by the railroads during their passenger service heyday, Dining by Rail, written by James Porterfield. Tucked into the chapters devoted to all the major passenger lines was a section with 5 French toast recipes, one being the evidently very famous version you’d find on the Santa Fe. The recipe was developed by the then well-renowned chef Fred Harvey. It’s simple and delicious at the same time, and I’ve been making it for something like 8 years.
The most important part is finding good bread. Challah works well, but it’s usually oval and won’t present like the original version. I found a very nice, substantial loaf made locally that was square. And you really want square if you want to do this right.
Now the easy (but tasty) part. The result is a not greasy moist and eggy toast that begs for a pour of warm maple syrup.
I served mine on licensed reproduction Santa Fe Railroad Mimbreno china originally designed by Mary Colter in 1936 for the Super Chief line. I saw these at the Chili Shop in Santa Fe last January and decided then and there I had to acquire some and whip up some French toast!
SANTA FE RAILROAD FRENCH TOAST
Ingredients
2 slices bread, sliced around 3/4″ thick
½ c. cream or half and half
2 eggs
4 tablespoons butter, divided
Maple syrup
Currant jelly
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Whisk the eggs and the cream in a shallow bowl to combine.
3. Cut each piece of bread into 4 triangles.
4. Soak the bread pieces in the egg/cream mixture.
5. Heat a skillet to medium-high. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and add 4 bread triangles.
6. Fry the bread until golden=brown on one side. Turn over and continue to fry until both sides are golden-brown.
7. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat until all the bread is fried.
8. Place the triangle on a baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes. The bread will puff up a little.
9. To serve, arrange on a plate and accompany with warmed maple syrup and currant jelly.
And what better way to slake your thirst and find refuge from the heat, than Pimm’s No.1 Cup, a gin-based aperitif (around since 1840) rich with spice and citrus notes. Simply toss a few ice cubes into a highball, pour in 1.5-2 ounces Pimm’s, top with ginger ale and garnish with a lemon slice. A sure cure to the travails of the mid-day Sun…
