French Toast Day by Charlie O'Shields
By Charlie

National French Toast Day

Written by Charlie O'Shields

Today we celebrate French toast! It’s also known as eggy bread, German toast, gypsy toast, or Spanish toast but I guess those are celebrated on a different day. No matter what you call it, it’s a dish made of bread soaked in beaten eggs and then fried and it’s delicious.

I talked Philippe into making this earlier today under the guise that I need a reference for this post. Above is the plate that I sketched and then promptly ate, adding color later in the day (it was incredibly yummy and made from challah bread!). Pro tip: It’s a waste of good food to also sit there and doodlewash it while it’s getting cold. Just make a quick sketch, snap a photo reference, and dig in!

This doodlewash was a bit of an experiment as I wanted to see what would happen if I only used two colors and nothing else for the entire piece. For this one I only used Quinacridone Gold and Dioxazine Purple. I love Quin Gold because it has all the colors I needed for eggy toast depending on the amount of water added. Though getting the two colors to produce something close to gray was a bit challenging.

As for French toast, this was my number one favorite as a child! My mom would make it for me every Saturday morning, which come to think of it, was probably why I was a chubby child. The little Charlie version consisted of four slices of regular white Wonder bread that formed a sort of tower. I used to cut the tower four times evenly in each direction so there were tiny stacked squares that I would eat one at a time. The pieces in the middle were paper thin and a tad gooey. Those were my favorite.

This strikes me as odd behavior now, but I also used to eat Fruit Loops one at time just to see if each color was a different flavor. They really all tasted the same version of fake fruit, but I swore I could taste a difference so I kept doing it. I just really liked these breakfast-only treats and eating them this way made the whole experience last longer.

Tonight, we’re about to trim our tree and drink some vin chaud aux épices that Philippe is currently making (also known as mulled wine). So I’ll keep this short and say that I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! Christmas is my jam, so I’m excited to get started!

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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50 thoughts on “National French Toast Day”

  3. Yummy doodlewash!! And I agree about quin gold.. I’m also a fan of quin burnt orange. I just ordered the Holbein 24 tube set so hopefully, there will be a purple in there.. 😊

    I love French toast and like you growing up, my dad made them with Wonder Bread too! I didn’t you could buy bread that weren’t square to that you had to slice yourself! And now, challah French toast is my favorite! I used to make two loaves of challah, one for Shabbat and one for French toast! My friend makes apple pie challah and white chocolate challah and she tells me French toast with those are heavenly!!

    I wished I could have some of that mulled wine as I’m freezing.. It’s only 52 degrees here!! Hehe.. ❤️

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  4. I have a Peaches and Cream French toast recipe that I make in the summer when we can get fresh peaches. You soak thick slices of French bread over night in egg and cream and peach jam. It is to die for! 😄 I’m impressed that you only used 2 colors to paint the whole thing! WOW! And it looks DELISH too! 💖💕 Enjoy your tree trimming. 🎄

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    1. Thanks Jill!! 💕😃 We ended up just setting up the lights as one strand was dead and so it’s off to Target tomorrow. That’s fine because I’ll make egg nog for the occasion. And that Peaches and Cream version sounds heavenly!! I’ll have to try that, or be super sweet and talk Philippe into trying it if I’m being honest. 😊hehe

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    1. Thanks Sharon!! 💕😃Yeah, I just keep falling in long with watercolors over and over again. I’m alway amazed at what they can do! And ya to French toast tomorrow! 😃👍🏻 I’m not sure if we’ll be having it again…I think I’m already being put on the “diet before Christmas” after the last couple days of binge eating 😊

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  8. Only two colors and you got that grey – super, Charlie. Funny story about your stack and Fruit Loops. I used to love Captain Crunch and Life cereal, along with Lucky Charms. But pancakes are my fav. And I can have a chocolate chip waffle with no syrup or anything, just plain with a cup of coffee, and that’s yummy good.

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    1. Thanks Cynthia!! 💕😃I had fun with this one! And those are all great cereals. Pancakes are our norm on the weekend, though we did have waffles for a time and I loved them. Now the poor little waffle iron is sitting in the cabinet wondering what he did wrong. But apparently our whole wheat pancakes are the best for us according to my other half. I think what tastes the most awesome should win, but that’s why I’m a big child and need this type of care. 😊

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  9. Hey – our Thanksgiving hosts (which we stayed overnight at) made us french toast the morning after Thanksgiving. It was soaked in an eggnog mixture overnight. It was divine, and I have not had in months and months. Oh this is that time of year! 🙂 Great doodlewash of your yummy breakfast – and awesome that you did with those two colors! Christmas might be your jam, but your doodlewashes are my jam! 🙂

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      1. LOL! We have freshly made sourdough bread right now and that doesn’t translate to French toast as well. Maybe I’ll attempt to make brioche when we’re done with the sourdough bread so hubby can make French toast! 😀

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  11. You need to somehow both stop and continue doodlewashing food because I read these normally just before bed, and they leave me ridiculously hungry. It looks so damn tasty. It’s incredible and the two-colour thing just knocks me for six. You are the grand master!

    I don’t think I’ve ever had French toast. I know, I know – I’m ashamed.

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    1. Thanks!! 😃 And wait, what?!!! This is not acceptable Jacob. I’ve already come to terms with the coffee thing, but you really must give this a try! Right this minute! Okay….well you’re probably asleep now, so that’s not entirely fair. But the moment you wake up then! Sorry for the pre-bedtime cravings. I guess then, you’re welcome for the sardines! 😉

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      1. Oh, yeah… the sardines had a rather different impact. (Ha, ‘impact’… I feel that’s an appropriate word for sardines.) At least it was a lovely painting!

        I’m totally going to try this soonish!

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  13. Wonderful painting – I can almost smell the maple syrup.

    The first time I ever had French toast was on a business trip to San Francisco. I had a dreadful hangover and thought it would be something like Melba toast, thin and dry and not too demanding on my delicate constitution. When it arrived there were about six thick slices dripping in syrup and powered sugar, with strawberries and blueberries and mountains of other stuff. Somehow I got through it, felt immediately better (the sugar probably!) and have been a fan ever since.

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    1. Thanks so much Michael! Glad you liked it! And yum! That San Fran French toast sounds amazingly decadent. I have to admit being somewhat jealous as after these two meager slices, I was assuming there was another round. Philippe just looked at me and said, “Uhm…that’s a lot! We’re finished!” And I swear I saw his eyes briefly dart down to my holiday stomach. Guess I’m being cut off for awhile until things return to normal. 😊

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  20. Did you try French toast with sugar or not ? With sugar it’s really delicious ! Congratulations for your paint delicious for the yes ! Happy new year to you and yours ! Agnès-Lise.

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  21. 1. Inspite of the great suggestion from @lemmon, i will be avoiding that site. 2. Great post 3, @kari is correct; challah french toast is devine- thinish slices, soaked in egg and some milk for too long,( almost fall apart) yields a crispy on outside, custardy inside FToast piece. Yum. I also recommend both sugar and dark or grade B real male syrup. ( each fork dipped on one, then the other), My husband likes cinnamon sprinkled on top but i find it a distraction. ( not that i would turn it down) fry in butter! Oh yum. Ive already got the Thanksgiving/ xmas 7 lbs. Half way there and then the year to loose it. Sigh. But what a way to go! ( the mozzerella and sausage stuffing and the flourless cake didnt help!)

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    1. Wow!! 😃💕 That crispy, custardy recipe sounds divine! But I agree, that cinnamon is a distraction. hehe… I like the maple and vanilla to just come through! And yeah, there’s just too much good food this time of year to worry about the pounds. It’s soooo worth it!! LOL

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