Casa de Solana Inn

St. Augustine, Florida

Specialty Recipe

Breakfast Scones

Lost Bread

This recipe was given to us several years ago by a Sarasota client who had become intensely interested in New Orleans cuisine. Its name, "Lost Bread," refers to the fact that it was a way to use stale bread. He said he did not know of any New Orleans restaurants that now serve it. We once saw a reference to "lost bread" in a culinary article on New Orleans, but it was described as French toast. The real secret of this recipe seems to be that the frying process caramelizes the strawberry preserves. We have tried other kinds of preserves, but none seemed to taste as good as strawberry.

Ingredients

2 slices French bread (1-1/2 to 2 inches thick)

strawberry preserves

confectionery sugar

2 large eggs

2 Tablespoons half & half

splash of vanilla flavoring

Cut the crust off the bottom side and then cut a pocket in the bottom. Fill pocket with a heaping tablespoon of strawberry preserves and press the pocket closed. Beat eggs, half & half, and vanilla. Soak bread in egg mixture for a minute or so. In a deep fry pan (we use a Chinese wok), heat cooking oil (enough to completely cover the slice of bread) so that when you lay the filled slice of bread in it, it will brown quickly. As soon as it is brown on one side, turn over and brown on the other. Drain on paper towel and sprinkle with confectionery sugar.

If you are preparing for a large number, keep warm in oven and sprinkle with sugar just before serving.

• You found this recipe on 1st Traveler's Choice Internet Cookbook. (www.virtualcities.com)