The Frenchy’est of Toast
Toast
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp molasses
1/2 cup orange juice
8 slices home-style bread, with crusts cut off
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp Grand Marnier
Topping
1 cup low-fat sour cream
Sugar
1 cup fresh, ripe berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries or strawberries)
1. The evening before serving, mix melted butter, brown sugar, molasses and orange juice in a 2-cup measuring cup. Pour into 13x9x2-inch pan. Dip both sides of the bread slices in the mixture, then place slices in the pan in two layers.
2. Combine eggs, milk, vanilla and Grand Marnier in blender. Pour mixture over bread. Refrigerate overnight.
3. In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake French toast for 45 minutes, or until nicely puffed or golden.
4. Mix sour cream with a fork and enough sugar for a slightly sweet taste; about 1-2 tbsp.
5. Cut French toast into squares and flip over onto plates. Spoon on sour cream topping and cover with fresh berries. Serve warm.
Serves 4-6.
Original recipe by Carolynn Richardson; adapted from Blue Ribbon Recipes.
In homage to another summer gone by, Sweet Summer Days by Dennis Caraher.
Our local Farmers Co-op dropped off 28 tons—yes, 28 tons—of lime today for the pastures. Not once in 25 years of marriage have Mike and I ever discussed the need to “lime.” But now we do, marking the D’Avanzo’s first foray into this area of farm management. Google “liming pastures” and you’ll get about 32,500 results. Because we know you’re just dying to know this stuff, we’ll save you the trouble with these fast facts (which is about all I can understand anyway!):
1. Liming neutralizes soil acidity.
2. The main action of lime is to raise the pH of the soil. A pH of 7 is neutral, a lower pH is acid, and a higher one alkaline.
3. Ideal pH for most pasture soils is 5.8 to 6. Depending on the rate of lime and the initial soil pH, pasture production can be raised by up to 12%.
4. Auburn University soil tests confirmed that our pastures are between 5.4 and 5.7 pH. Not bad, but not good enough. We gotta hit 6 at least.
5. Hence, the white stuff being spread all over the land today.
Original, Handmade Block Prints
$17.00 – $32.50
Hand Forged Wine Cradle
$75.00
Farm Fresh Candle
$20.00
