E-Festive French Toast - Chez Cora

E-Festive French Toast -"Rediscover a childhood favourite, festively dressed for the holiday season. How can you resist out Festive French toast? Imagine delicious cranberry and orange bread dipped in French toast batter, plus melted brie cheese, crispy bacon, topped with an egg, then garnished with clementines and sweet cranberries." - $9.95 (CAD)

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CJ doesn't quite recall this dish being a "childhood favourite", but maybe it is out east in La Belle Province?

If this dish wasn't "For a limited time" this review would be on the "1990's harvest", another well portioned, fruit-laden meal. But, alas, CJ decided to go against the norm and ordered the french toast dish.

The restaurant was busy, just like any other Sunday morning. The service was friendly and prompt. The table and cutlery were all clean.

The presentation of the dish is pretty important at Chez Cora's - in fact, EVERY dish/drink is plated quite well. Lots of colour and fruit to tease the eye.

The bread is what really makes the dish (why doesn't more bread come with fruit?) - well, that and the brie cheese. It smelled delicious. And the cranberry sauce! Ho, ho, let CJ tell you about it! No, it's not like the cranberry sauce you get out of a can for your turkey dinner, but it was a sweet glaze that was layered onto the toast with bits of clementines added in for good, citrus-y measure.

When you get a hunk of bread, cheese and egg all on one forkful, and manage to dip it in to the cranberry glaze... well, you know that you have a very good breakfast then.

The photographic evidence:

The grade: 8.5 out of 10.0. Solidly an honours grade...


PS: turns out you only need to lay out about $500,000 to $800,00 (CAD) for a franchise opportunity. CJ keeps trying to tell good ol' Alabama (you may remember him from here) to set up a franchise in the Queen's City (AKA "The Paris of the Prairies", but nothing has graced the business pages of the Leader Post to indicate that such a new business venture has come to fruition... The fickle diners of Regina continue to wait...

Chocolate Banana-Stuffed French Toast

1/3 cup chocolate-hazelnut sandwich spread
8 slices D'Italiano Whole Wheat Thick Slice Italian Style Bread
2 large firm ripe bananas
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter

Chef's note: Recipe was halved

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Isn't it amazing where we get our inspiration? For instance, I was shopping in the bakery section of our local Superstore, where I happened upon some decent-looking bread. Something a little different than what I'd usually get, and I picked up this Italiano whole wheat bread, and lo and behold: A recipe! Well, shit. I had to get it. And the recipe above is the recipe contained on the bottom of the bread bag.

I know I mentioned just a short while ago that I wasn't too thrilled with egg-dipped sandwiches, but I had to give this a try. I've only had Nutella once or twice in my life, and for this recipe I got the President's Choice proxy for it. It's alright. It's not good enough to put in ice cream or anything, but I figured it would do the trick.

The dish is very quick to make. No problems with assembly or preparing the ingredients at all.

As far as taste, it was okay. I had it for supper a few nights ago. It seems more like a breakfast dish, but honestly, I'd rather just have regular French Toast with some sexy Grand Marnier berry compote. It tastes decent. If there's a next time, maybe a little more chocolate spread on the bread?

The photograph:

No. No pickles here.

The grade: 6.8 out of 10.0. The grade in honour of the jersey number of his holy hockey mulletness.... god, is that jersey for real? That's worse than the Yorkton Pylon's bantam jersey from back in 1985. DREADFUL. Downright embarrassing. No wonder he's hiding in Omsk...