Jean B. wrote:

> The best French toast I have ever eaten--or cooked--was made from slabs of
> homemade cinnamon bread. I had that at an inn decades ago. After that I
> used to make cinnamon bread just for that purpose. Depending on where you
> are, you may be able to get great-quality cinnamon bread without making
> it. It should be unsliced, because you want the slices to be very
> thick--probably 3/4 to 1 inch thick.

Brioche has already been mentioned in this thread; I think that's the best
bread for French toast. Challah, being a close relative of brioche, is also
fantastic.

I like to vary what flavorings I use for the custard, though I note that
Cook's Illustrated goes with just a little nutmeg, and they found that
vanilla extract tended to overshadow any other flavors. One or two at a
time, I've used allspice, mace, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon/cassia, orange
extract, almond extract (especially if serving with peaches, plums, or
apricots), black pepper, lemon extract (especially if serving with
blueberries or poppyseeds), or creme de cacao. Whatever you *do* use it's
important not to use very much of it, because the custard and bread are very
mild flavors, and their flavors should still be evident in the final dish.

Bob