{"id":2322,"date":"2011-05-19T19:25:55","date_gmt":"2011-05-20T03:25:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/?p=2322"},"modified":"2012-04-25T11:03:16","modified_gmt":"2012-04-25T18:03:16","slug":"pain-perdu-here-is-to-finding-your-bread-with-jam-and-without-preservatifs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chefmorgan.com\/engine\/pain-perdu-here-is-to-finding-your-bread-with-jam-and-without-preservatifs","title":{"rendered":"Pain perdu: here is to finding your bread with jam and without “pr\u00e9servatifs”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Girl<\/p>\n

Pain perdu<\/span><\/strong><\/em>:
\nhere is to finding your bread with jam and without the “pr\u00e9servatifs”<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Pain perdu<\/span><\/em> literally means \u201clost bread\u201d but the loose translation means to make use of old bread.  To Americans \u201c<\/span>pain perdu<\/span><\/em>\u201d is \u201cFrench bread\u201d and eaten at breakfast with maple syrup. In France <\/span>pain perdu<\/span><\/em> is enjoyed as a dessert or by children for their afternoon <\/span>go\u00fbter<\/span><\/em>.<\/span> It is not served with syrup but with homemade <\/span>confiture<\/span><\/em>(or jam as we know it). While many recipes embellish <\/span>pain perdu <\/span><\/em>with nuts, liquors, zests, fancy butters and\/or syrups (and that is all good) we are making <\/span>pain perdu<\/span><\/em> with classic French simplicity and this easy and delicious dessert is this week\u2019s simple pleasure.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

French cuisine often makes use of day old bread whether it be in a <\/span>panade<\/span><\/em> or a stuffing.<\/span>Pain perdu<\/span><\/em> is a similar concept for it is the re-hydrating of old bread by soaking it in mixed eggs.  However, the bread is then fried in a little butter rather than being mixed with minced meat or use as a farce. <\/span>Pain perdu<\/span> <\/span><\/em>typically is made with <\/span>pain de mie <\/span><\/em>or pullman\u2019s bread both of which are sandwich breads but if you want something a little richer, you can use challah or brioche which contain more butter and eggs than<\/span>pain de mie. <\/span><\/em>Pain<\/span><\/em>perdu<\/span><\/em>is also a good way to make use of day old croissants. Whatever bread you choose to use, do not use fresh bread: it is not only a waste but old bread makes better<\/span> pain perdu<\/span><\/span><\/em>because fresh bread too readily absorbs the eggs which can over-saturate your <\/span>pain perdu <\/span><\/em>making it a soggy disaster which is better lost than found.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"French
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Strawberry <\/span>confiture <\/span><\/em>is the most popular jam <\/span>to accompany <\/span>pain perdu. <\/span><\/em>This is not surprising since the dessert is generally enjoyed in the period after Easter which is also the beginning of strawberry season. If you do not want to use strawberries, substitute cherries or apricots, both of which are delicious and are now coming in season.<\/span><\/p>\n

My<\/span>confiture<\/span><\/em> recipe is simple and has been a consistent crowd pleaser in my croissant and jam classes.  I significantly reduced the sugar content that is generally found in most recipes and you can reduce it even further if your fruit is very sweet. It is simple to make and the jam will last for weeks in the refrigerator (it also makes wonderful gifts). Do not use overripe fruit as it will collapse while it is simmering. If you are unable to purchase fresh fruit, you can use frozen.<\/span><\/p>\n

So I imagine you are thinking \u201cwhat does <\/span>pain perdu<\/span> <\/span><\/em>and<\/span> confiture <\/span><\/span><\/em>have to do with “pr\u00e9servatifs” and what are “pr\u00e9servatifs” in any event?   I will tell you. I was having a conversation with a friend of mine and we were discussing, in French, <\/span>confiture<\/span><\/em> and making <\/span>confiture<\/span><\/em> and things that are put in prepared and packaged food generally. The conversation went roughly as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n

ME: <\/span><\/strong> \u00ab <\/span>Je n\u2019ach\u00e8te pas d\u2019aliments avec des pr\u00e9servatifs … ce n\u2019est pas n\u00e9cessaire. J\u2019\u00e9tais \u00e9tonn\u00e9e quand j\u2019ai lu les \u00e9tiquettes sur les pots de confiture et que j’ai vu qu\u2019il y avait des pr\u00e9servatifs l\u00e0-dedans<\/span><\/em>\u00bb. (I do not buy food with preservatives.  It is not necessary.  I was surprised when I looked at the labels and saw that there were preservatives in the jam.)<\/span><\/p>\n

[Awkward silence ensured and he looked at me]<\/span><\/p>\n

HIM: <\/strong> \u00ab Quoi ? <\/span>\u00bb (what?)<\/span><\/p>\n

ME: <\/span><\/strong>\u00ab <\/span>Tu sais, le truc qu\u2019on met dans la confiture pour la conserver plus longtemps <\/span>\u00bb<\/span><\/em> (You know, the stuff in jam that makes it last longer. )<\/span><\/p>\n

HIM<\/strong><\/span>:  [He blushed and a polite smile suppressed his laughter].<\/span><\/em> \u00ab<\/span>Lisa, je crois que tu veux dire \u201c<\/span><\/em>conservateurs<\/strong><\/span><\/em>\u201d, les \u00ab pr\u00e9servatifs sont des capotes<\/span> \u00bb<\/span><\/em> (Lisa, I believe that you mean \u201cconservateurs\u201d, \u201cpreservatives\u201d, in French, are condoms).<\/span><\/p>\n

[More awkward silence and then it was me who blushed as I recounted in my head how many times I have incorrectly and unknowingly used that word on my travels in France or the several times I referred to jam as “preservatives” and how that this was the first time someone corrected me].<\/span><\/p>\n

We both laughed and a few weeks later there it was in the metro station a large public service announcement poster in my face advocating the use of \u201cpreservatifs.\u201d  They were not talking about jam or food. <\/span><\/p>\n

So here is to you: the beneficiary of my jam recipe as well as one of my many French faux pas lessons. I hope when you make this recipe without the addition of those unnecessary \u201cpreservatives\u201d you will smile. <\/span>\u00c0 table !<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Je vous souhaite un bon app\u00e9tit !<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

LM<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"croissants
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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French toast with strawberry jam
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span>(<\/span><\/strong><\/span>pain perdu<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/em> et de la confiture de fraises)<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

stats:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

serves 4 with jam leftover<\/span><\/p>\n

what you need:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

jam<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

1 pound strawberries (yield)
\n<\/span>10 ounces  granulated sugar
\n<\/span>2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
\n<\/span>1\/4 ounce powdered pectin (or 3\/4 ounce liquid pectin)<\/span><\/p>\n

bread<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

4 slices day old bread (pain de mie, brioche or croissants)
\n<\/span>unsalted butter (as needed)
\n<\/span>2 eggs, mixed
\n<\/span>1 tablespoon milk (or heavy cream)
\n<\/span>1 teaspoon vanilla extract<\/span><\/p>\n

how to:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

jam<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n