Vanilla French Toast with Maple Syrup and Blueberries

      If you make the huge loaf of braided Egg Bread I made last week, you'll have breakfast covered for several days.  That's been the case in my house, at least.  I've toasted egg bread slices and slathered them with salted butter and jam.  One morning we devoured the Bread with Chocolate, Olive Oil, and Fleur de Sel.  Today I dipped thick slices of the bread into a vanilla bean infused milk, followed by beaten eggs, before frying in sweet butter.  And, there is still enough bread left to make croutons toasted in olive oil and tossed with kosher salt! 
      I found the recipe for Vanilla French Toast in a 1992 Australia VOGUE Entertaining, one of several Australia VOGUE issues I've had for many years and just can't part with. (Several years ago I recycled 20 years-worth of GOURMET magazines and I've regretted it ever since.)  I've slightly altered the ingredient proportions of the original recipe with a little more vanilla and additional egg -- just how I like it!  (I always save the vanilla beans I've scraped seeds from for recipes like this, and also to make vanilla sugar for my baking.)
     Lately, my husband has been on a blueberry buying binge.  I'm more of the, "it's out of season, so you don't buy it" mind-set. He, however, will purchase what he likes... (and I'm secretly enjoying those fresh blueberries on my yogurt with granola in the mornings).  When local berries are plentiful in Minnesota, I'll be making this French toast again, and crowning the stack with fresh blueberries and raspberries!

   + Vanilla French Toast with Maple Syrup and Blueberries ++
              adapted from a recipe in Australia VOGUE Entertaining | Oct•Nov 1992

SERVES 2
• 1 cup milk
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 6 thick slices Egg Bread or Brioche
• 3-4 eggs, beaten
• Butter, for the frying pan
• Maple syrup
• Fresh berries
1.  Bring the milk, vanilla bean, and sugar to the boil.  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
2.  Dip the slices of Egg Bread or Brioche into the cooled milk, then dip each slice into the beaten eggs.  Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the bread on both sides until golden.
3.  Plate the French toast and drizzle with maple syrup.  Serve with fresh berries.

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