Cultural/National differences on.....French Toast

[ForresterModern]

No different than the French putting mayonnaise on their "french" fries (chips to you UK chaps).

[O'Callaghan]

No different than the French putting mayonnaise on their "french" fries (chips to you UK chaps).

I've never seen them do that, but I have seen them dip them in harissa (hot sauce from Algeria, which used to be French territory).

They call them pomme frites, or just frites, because they know where they originate - Belgium. So why do Americans call them French?

[English Bloke]

Eggy bread? Brown sauce every time (HP preferred).

[Tobus]

Eggy bread? Brown sauce every time (HP preferred).

I've seen several references to HP. What is that?

[Macman]

I've seen several references to HP. What is that?

Here you go!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_Sauce

My American wife is now a convert. Wonderful stuff, but made on the continent now, I believe. They say the HP sauce we get in Canada is different, but I can't tell.

[Lallans]

Maple syrup, like pancakes. If it wasn't a breakfast item, it wouldn't be called 'toast' and pancakes are breakfast items that are eaten with syrup and are made from the same basic ingredients as french toast. Therefore, french toast is eaten with syrup just like the disguised version of pancakes it in fact is, Q.E.D.

Surely what is being eaten with HP and catsup is actually called 'fried bread'??

[Paul Henry]

Maple syrup, like pancakes. If it wasn't a breakfast item, it wouldn't be called 'toast' and pancakes are breakfast items that are eaten with syrup and are made from the same basic ingredients as french toast. Therefore, french toast is eaten with syrup just like the disguised version of pancakes it in fact is, Q.E.D.

Surely what is being eaten with HP and catsup is actually called 'fried bread'??

Toast can be (and is) eaten at all times of the day and night, not just breakfast. In the UK it is certainly unusual to have pancakes for breakfast, and generally they are probably eaten with lemon and sugar most of the time,not syrup , all of which reminds me that Shrove tuesday is fast approaching and just to confuse things further the pancakes that are traditionally eaten are actually crepes, i.e. very thin large disc, rather than Scotch pancakes!
And back on topic.... I'm not so bothered about French Toast, but it would have to be cinamon and sugar for me!

[English Bloke]

... Surely what is being eaten with HP and catsup is actually called 'fried bread'??

Nope! Eggy bread isn't fried bread. Fried bread doesn't meet the egg till after the cooking process. I put brown sauce on my British bacon and eggs as well by the way. You should taste what a drizzle of it does to a bacon sandwich. Mmmmmmmmagical.

[Tobus]

Here you go!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP_Sauce

My American wife is now a convert. Wonderful stuff, but made on the continent now, I believe. They say the HP sauce we get in Canada is different, but I can't tell.

So what does it taste like? I see from the article that "Wilson's Gravy" was actually not HP sauce but Lea & Perrin's Worcestershire sauce. I am familiar with that. Does it taste similar to HP sauce?

[Lallans]

So what does it taste like? I see from the article that "Wilson's Gravy" was actually not HP sauce but Lea & Perrin's Worcestershire sauce. I am familiar with that. Does it taste similar to HP sauce?

I fancy that HP is worchester sauce with, lets see, some small amount of mint, tomato, pepper, onion, and an unidentifiable meaty taste added... something like, but definately not, a rib sauce, contains no sugar, and you don't cook it in. The Japanese would call the latter taste I refer to 'umami', their addition to the traditional western taste spectrum of 'sweet, salt, bitter, and sour'. [I would opine it's MSG- but I don't wanna get sued, so I won't.] Anyway, get some HP and try it and then you'll know first-hand!

And when the bottle's on the table, as with many British 'sauces', you always have something to read (there's a lot of text, considering).