What a beautiful thing...

French toast is. 

I should not be allowed to watch Food Network because it puts hundreds of ideas in my head of new things I would like to try to bake, cook, or (when we really get down to it) eat. But, when the so-called “History Channel” decides that it is too cheap or too lazy to make or broadcast shows that are actually about history, and to only air rather stupid shows about things like annoying, middle-aged men that look for collectibles or antiques (probably its most history related show right now), or loggers getting in spats, or truckers that drive on icy roads, or something else lacking in substance and value instead, then Food Network is my fall-back (seeing as all of its shows actually have to do with food). No shrimpers or truck drivers for me when I’m in the mood for the tele. At least watching shows about cooking and restaurants stirs my creativity and helps teach me a valuable life skill that can be shared with others.

A show I saw last week about a diner in Florida gave me the inspiration and ambition to make this delicious French toast that’s stuffed with caramelized bananas and cream  cheese and topped with a homemade berry compote. I was extremely pleased at how well it turned out, seeing as I didn’t really have a recipe that I was following:

Oddly enough, I really didn't like French toast when I was younger, but became a convert to in about grade 5 or 6 when my dad would take Camilla and I to a wonderful little breakfast joint/ coffee shop on the other side of town on Saturday mornings after we'd finished a long session of kayak roll practice at the pool. Ruby's (the cafe, which was also named for the local mountains) had amazing French toast that they would stuff with a mixture of cream cheese and caramel sauce. Unfortunately, Ruby's has closed its doors, but the ardor for French toast that it created inside of me lives on. My French toast making skills have been honed over the past few years and I think this berry, banana, and cream cheese version I made the other day was the crowning recipe. That doesn't mean I plan on stopping my experimentation with the toast, though.