Not the Typical Soup and Sandwiches for Dinner

When I started this blog, I intended for it to be a combination restaurant review and cooking experience.  But lately, it has definitely skewed heavily toward the restaurant review side as I've been traveling quite a bit.  And it's headed back in that direction later this week, so I wanted to be sure that I took the opportunity to make a couple meals at home.

Last night was the first of those opportunities.  The thing was, I spent all day at the beach playing in a volleyball tournament and didn't really feel like cranking out a big full meal.  Fortunately, I had Michael Symon's cookbook in hand and his philosophy of "if it takes more than two pans, I'm not making it", which was exactly what I needed.  I had flipped through the book when I bought it and remembered a recipe for a spicy tomato soup.  What could be better after a long day (which happened to be overcast and a little rainy) than soup and sandwiches?  I made a quick stop at Whole Foods and picked up the ingredients that I needed; tomatoes, sriracha sauce, blue cheese (specifically buttermilk blue cheese), heavy cream, bread, an heirloom tomato, and some bacon for BLTs.  I already had the red onion, garlic and chicken stock at home as these have pretty much become staples in our house.

To say that this soup was simple is an understatement.  I started by chopping some red onion and sweating in down.  Added in a little garlic and kept going for a couple more minutes.  Then add the stock, tomatoes, a bit of fresh oregano and sriracha.  Let that simmer for about 45 minutes.  Then it is into the blender with the blue cheese (I probably could have used the hand blender at this point, but didn't).  Blend until smooth, strain back into a pan on the stove to keep warm, and it's done.  It's almost as easy as making the stuff from the can but far more flavorful.  The soup was full of tomato flavor, with a hint of spice from the sriracha and the creaminess from the blue cheese and cream.  It definitely wasn't too heavy at all.  To garnish it, I took some parmesan cheese, put it in on a Slipat mat, and cooked it for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  I also learned to make my layers of cheese a little thinner if I wanted to have a crispy parmesan "cracker" (they were a little soft in the middle).

But as great as the soup was, it needed a sandwich to go with it.  For Jennifer, I went for an extra cheesy grilled cheese sandwich.  I did a layer of of mozzarella, then a little dill, some cheddar, a bit of bacon (not too much), and then another layer of cheddar.  This was all on some fresh Italian bread.  I buttered the outside and toasted it in the pan to a perfect golden brown.  For myself, I did a simple BLT, but with heirloom tomatoes and baby arugula on the same Italian bread.   For this one, I purchased the thick cut bacon, but at some point I am going to try and make my own based on the recipe and guidance in the cookbook.

All in all, I think this came together as an excellent meal, and really illustrated the transition in my cooking.  One year ago, this same meal probably consists of Campbell's tomato soup (or maybe one of those soups from the box at Whole Foods) and a couple slices of cheese between two slices of bread from a loaf, thrown in a toaster oven.  The response would have been positive, but not the same as I got with the delicious sandwich and soup.  I probably would have poured out the leftovers.  This is what has made learning to cook so fun.  I doubt that I come up with this recipe on my own, but at least I'm willing to tackle anything in the book, learn the basics, and hopefully some day adapt it to suit some different flavors.  The quality of the food is so much higher which makes it so much rewarding to put in the effort.  I'm not saying that I'm not going to do some of the boring meals anymore, we all get a little lazy every once in awhile, but that I'm getting more curious and more interested (and frankly better) when it comes to new foods.

All of this from tomato soup and grilled cheese...

Deck on Elysian - Seattle Restaurant Review

For some reason I've set on this search for the best burger in Seattle.  I really enjoy a lot of good food, but there is just something about a great burger that can always put a smile on my face.  So, the search for the burger continued this weekend when I met one of my friends at the Elysian in SoDo prior to the Mariner's game.

The Elysian has always been a good place to meet prior to baseball and football games down in SoDo, especially when you bring the girls.  It's not a typical sports bar, they brew their own beer, and it has a little bit of class.  On this particular evening, the place was pretty full with Mariner fans getting ready for the game and Sounders fans enjoying the end of their day downtown.  When I got there, I ordered an amber and a burger.  When asked if I wanted cheese, I decided on pepperjack, adding a little spice to my life, on a medium burger.  And of course I got fries to go with it.

When the burger arrived, it looked nice, served open so I could add my own condiments.  I decided to only add one piece of lettuce (I'm just not a huge lettuce fan), the tomatoes, red onion, and roasted red pepper for a little extra flavor.  I then put the top on and cut it in half.  The burger had a nice color to it, but wasn't overly juicy.  When I bit in, I actually got a piece of paper that had been used to separate the slices of cheese, so I was a little disappointed by that.  When I removed it, and took another, non-paper filled bite, the burger was much improved.  The red pepper was a very nice flavor addition, but the burger itself was a little bland.  I really prefer my burgers to be very flavorful and juicy, dominating the flavors of the bite, with the other toppings simply accenting the ultimate flavor of the burger.

So, while the burger was merely ok, the fries were quite excellent.  They were perfectly crispy on the outside while remaining moist on the inside, and were salted very well.  Even at the end of the meal, when they had cooled down, they remained crisp and flavorful.  They were exactly what I want in a french fry.  In the end, I'm still looking for that amazing burger, but the Elysian will definitely remain one of our pre-game stops.  The food is good, though I'll have to try something a little different next time, and the vibe is just right.



Final Verdict - 3 Stars

Quick Bites from Cleveland

From a food perspective, I will say that this trip to Cleveland was unlike any other that I’d taken. As an interesting side note, it was unlike any other from a work/positive energy/excitement perspective as well. All-in-all, my best trip to Cleveland. Anyway, I posted about Lola and Lolita over the past week, but those obviously were not the only places that I ate at. So, I offer a quick bites recap of my non-hotel, non-cafeteria dining around Cleveland.

Steak ‘N Shake

You might be asking why I went to a Steak ‘N Shake, especially given my affinity for non-chain restaurants and trying the local cuisine. Two reasons. First, there really isn’t a lot open in Cleveland after 11 p.m. Second, Marc Summers said on The Best Thing I Ever Ate that his favorite hamburger of all time was from Steak ‘N Shake. Now, I’m sure Marc Summers knows good food, but I can now definitively say we don’t share the same hamburger tastes. I ordered the Double Steakburger with the Works and fries. This means it had ketchup, mustard, lettuce, tomato, mustard, onion, and mustard for good measure. I like yellow mustard as much as the next guy, but this was ridiculous. Once I finally made my way through a lot of the mustard and tasted the burger, I was turned off completely. It just tasted of greasy and almost metallic, painfully obvious that it had been cooked on a flat top that wasn’t absorbing flavors of burgers past. And the fries were just not good. No salt, soggy, luke warm. I know my expectations shouldn’t be super high for after midnight dining, but this was my first and last visit to Steak ‘N Shake. Next time I’m just finding an all night, local diner.

Final Verdict – 1.5 Stars (Sorry Marc Summers)

Jacobs (er…Progressive) Field

There is just something about a baseball game that makes the simplest foods taste exponentially better. Unfortunately, I didn’t really take advantage of it. At the game I stopped and grabbed a sausage that was ok, some onion rings that were palatable, and some nachos that had been sitting under a heat lamp for too long. But, I also had a few Great Lakes brews on board, so I didn’t really pay attention.

Final Verdict – Incomplete

Sushi Rock

The best way to describe Sushi Rock is Cleveland does sushi. After doing the appropriate amount of whining about a Seattlite going to sushi in the middle of the country, I finally decided that building rapport with my boss was better for my career and sucked it up and went to Sushi Rock. Walking in, it was exactly what I expected; Cleveland does sushi. There was loud, but trendy music, a bunch of people, and a slightly snobby hostess. When we sat down and I looked at the menu, two things jumped out. First, this was a place that had sushi on one side of the menu and truffle mac & cheese on the other. Second, there was a sushi item called “crabstick”. I am no expert, but I contest that crabstick is not the type of crab I’m used to at home, and there was a debate whether or not it was really crab. This was one of the things on the menu that didn’t have the Japanese word next to it (oh, it should be noted that the sushi was in English, throwing me off completely until I noticed the Japanese in fine print). In the end, we ordered a few pieces of sashimi, and a bunch of rolls, nearly all featuring cooked rather than raw preparations. The sashimi was ok, with the Maguro being pretty good and the Hamachi not as much. For the rolls, they were good, no real standouts and one that I thought was just not good (I can’t remember which it was, but it was bad). As the night came to a close, I realized that I’d had a pretty good time, and it was not the worst meal I’d eaten in my life, or even this trip.

Final Verdict – 2.5 Stars

Seti’s Polish Boys

I figured it was only appropriate that I finish my trip to Cleveland by getting a very “Cleveland” food, and one endorsed by Iron Chef Michael Symon. Learning of the Polish Boy by watching The Best Thing I Ever Ate, I was determined to give it a try. So, on the way to the airport, I made a small detour and got myself a couple of Polish Boys from Seti’s Truck in the parking lot of the restaurant supply depot. The Polish Boy can basically be described as a complete meal in one hand. It is a hot dog smeared with cole slaw, and topped with French fries and a sweet barbeque/honey sauce. I wasn’t quite sure exactly what they would be like, so decided to eat in the car. Unwrapping the first one, I looked down and it and sighed, knowing without a doubt that it was going to wind up on me (I’m a messy eater to begin with…). The other thing I didn’t know was how hot they were. Biting into the first one, the very delicious sauce and hot dog hit the top of my mouth and burned it pretty good. I definitely didn’t let that stop me, and polished off the first one. I waited until I was a little more stuck in traffic, and moving slower to break into the second one. First degree burns on the roof of my mouth aside, I was definitely pleased. Did I get as excited as Michael Symon did? No, but I will definitely go back.

Final Verdict – 3.75 Stars

So that’s it. This trip to Cleveland is officially in the books. Next week will include a trip to Dallas, a trip to Denver and a couple of home-cooked meals, including one in my hometown of Cheyenne, WY. And it won’t be long until Michael Symon recipes and experiences start appearing in Deck On Food!

Deck on Lolita: Cleveland Restaurant Review

What’s better than one trip to a Michael Symon restaurant in a week? How about a trip to each Michael Symon restaurant in Cleveland!? After a little bit of discussion (ok a little bit of whining until I got what I wanted), I convinced a couple of my colleagues that it would be worthwhile to drive the 25 minutes from the suburbs into town to dine at Lolita.

Located in what I’m told is the up-and-coming Tremont neighborhood, Lolita could best be described as the yang to Lola’s yin. Where Lola is slacks and a button up shirt, Lolita is jeans and a t-shirt. It was a little bit bright, a little bit louder, and a little bit less intimate; none of which is a bad thing by any means. We’d called ahead on the drive in to see if there were any tables, and were informed that there were not until later, but that there was some bar seating. On arrival, we found four seats next to each other, at the corner of the bar. Saddling up to the bar, we were ready to eat.

Taking a look at the menu, we were overwhelmed by the amount of delicious looking food. So we decided to start by focusing simply on starters. The first thing we selected was the lamb keftedes. Then, after a little bit of debating over the cured meats, we settled on the roasted bone marrow, figuring it is not something you can get everywhere. We put in our appetizer order and returned out attention to the entrée menu. This ended up being a little of an ordeal. All four of us finally selected an option off the menu, and then asked the bartender his recommendation. After basically five minutes of talking us through the menu, describing with enthusiasm the delicious options, we once again selected our entrees. That’s when he reminded us of the specials… In the end, after 15 good minutes, and changing our collective minds a half dozen times, we settled on our final items and quickly placed our orders to prevent changing our mind again.

At this time we were finally able to settle into conversation, made easier by sitting at the corner of the bar. We enjoyed drinks and conversation for about 10 minutes prior to the appetizers arriving. Once they did, we quickly quieted down and dove in. The Lamb Keftedes can best be described as delicious lamb meatballs, served with lemon, mint, yogurt and cucumber. The meat was very tender and juicy. This was followed up by the Roasted Bone Marrow which was served with a salsa verde and a little bit of scallion. For the first bite, I simply scraped the marrow out of the bone, put it on a crostini and enjoyed the delicious flavor, what could easily be described as a meat butter. For the second bite I added one of the pickled onions which had a sweet taste and really balanced out the whole meal.

This was definitely the way to kick-start a meal, and had us all excited about the entrees which arrived not too long after we finished the appetizers. For the main courses, Charles had finally decided on the fish special, a Wild Caught Canadian Walleye. Georgy had decided on the house-made Pappdelle with beef cheeks, crème fraische, and killbuck valley mushrooms. Rene had selected the Gnocchi with Pork Ragu (all homemade), tomato and parmesan. And I had selected the Duck Prociutto Pizza with egg, parmesan and rosemary. It was at this point that I realized the biggest advantage to dining with others; the opportunity to try multiple dishes. After the pictures, we passed the plates around so each person could get a few bites off each of the plates.

The pappardelle was the first thing I tried. Honestly, there is nothing like homemade pasta. It just has a fresh, light flavor that can’t be matched. Add to it amazingly tender and wonderfully cooked beef cheeks and you have a delicious dinner. Next, I tried the walleye. At first, Charles wondered if I would be ok with fish, being that I’m from Seattle. I assured him that as long as it was a local wild caught, I would be up for it, and it absolutely would. The fish was perfectly cooked ,nice and flaky and tender while still full of flavor. It had some greens with it which I thought actually took away from the taste of the delicious fish. That left the gnocchi. The first thing that hit me was the lightness of the gnocchi; far lighter than any I’ve ever cooked or tried. The pork ragu was definitely good and very flavorful. Had I not ordered the pizza, this would have been my choice, and I absolutely would not have been disappointed.

Finally, after eating everyone else’s food I dove into mine. My first thought was, I won the food lottery. The flavors of the pizza were like nothing I’ve ever tasted before. The egg added a great flavor to the pizza, but it was the cracker crust and the salty prosciutto that really set it apart. I don’t really know how to describe duck prosciutto other than to say if you take your regular pork prosciutto and multiply the deliciousness by 10, then you get duck prosciutto. It was one of those meals where I thought “I’m stuffed, but if another appeared in front of me, I would finish it”. Then the next day I thought I wish I had that pizza for breakfast. Just an incredible combination of flavors.

After the meal that left everyone completely satisfied, we decided to take a look at the dessert menu. This ended up being a mistake in that as soon as you look at the menu, you can’t help but order something. I decided I would give the warm toffee pudding a try, while Rene went for the Lemon Pound Cake (made with Olive Oil instead of butter) and Charles did the vanilla gelato. The toffee pudding could best be described as dangerous; meaning as long as it was in front of you, it was impossible to stop eating. Just delicious and flavorful. The lemon pound cake was good, but you definitely missed the butter. And the gelato was flavorful, but it was no Fainting Goat. In fact, it had a little more of an ice cream flavor than a gelato flavor.

At the end of the meal, we were all completely satisfied. The meal was absolutely delicious, and it was without a doubt worth the trip into Cleveland. When the bill came we were all shocked to see that the grand total was a paltry $150 for all four of us! Up to this point I didn’t think it was possible to get food of that quality for that price. In the end, my colleagues were actually glad that I talked them into making the trip to Lolita. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere perfectly lent itself to the type of evening that we were looking for. From my perspective, the appetizers absolutely blew away the previous evening at Lola, but the entrée and the dessert were a little less, leading to an overall balanced score. And , we learned two important lessons when eating at Lolita; go there often because the menu is ever evolving, and if you go on a Tuesday, get there before 6 to enjoy the suckling pig roast.

Final Verdict - 4.5 stars

Deck on Lola - Cleveland Restaurant Review

Of all my work destinations, Cleveland had been one of my least favorites.  My dining experiences haven't been that great, and lately I had resorted to staying in my hotel room and just ordering room service.  That was until about a month ago.  While watching The Best Thing I Ever Ate on the Food Network, I was shocked to find out that Iron Chef Michael Symon is not only from Cleveland, but has two restaurants there.  Not to mention that some of his favorite places to eat are in Cleveland.  I jotted down some notes, telling myself that the next time I was in town, I would seek out one of the places and see if my trips to Cleveland could be salvaged.

Tonight, after my meetings wrapped up, I headed down town to start my "Michael Symon Restaurant Tour of Cleveland".  I didn't take the most direct route so it took awhile and I was getting a little frustrated, but I was trying to remain optimistic.  My plan was to go to the Greenhouse Tavern, and the menu looked fantastic, so I definitely had something to look forward to.  As I was getting closer, I realized that it was in a part of area I hadn't been to, and that it seemed like an area that could be fun.  I eventually arrived on 4th St, and parked across from the House of Blues (another new finding for me).  I got out and headed toward the Greenhouse Tavern.  That's when I noticed the sign for Lola, Michael Symon's flagship restaurant.  I figured that since I was right there, it would be silly to not eat at an Iron Chef's restaurant (I mean, I'd like to eat a meal from at least one restaurant by each of them).  I walked the extra half block to Lola and headed in.

As I approached the bar, I was greeted warmly by the bartender, and offered a dinner and drink menu.  I scanned the menu, looking at all of the delicious sounding meals.  So, I did what I've come to do lately, ask for advice.  For an appetizer she recommended the lobster or the Hawaiian crudo.  For an entree, she suggested the pasta if I wanted something vegetarian, the scallops for fish, and that they were known for their pork dishes; the shank was a little lighter, the chop a little more "robust".  So, quickly evaluating her recommendations, I selected the Hawaiian Crudo "Teriyaki" and the Smoked Berkshire Pork Chop. 

After what couldn't have been more than 5-10 minutes, the crudo arrived.  Normally I don't order fish when I come to the middle of the country (especially since I'm from Seattle), especially when it is a raw preparation, but I figured if I was going to make an exception, I would do it at Lola.  The crudo was yellowfin tuna seasoned with soy, pineapple, habanero, and cilantro.  The flavors were very nice, though surprisingly not spicy considering that it included the habanero pepper.  The best flavors were when the soy and pineapple were eaten together.  Finishing it off, I was pleased, though not overwhelmed.  I've had very good yellowfin in Seattle.  But, things were looking up compared to most of my previous Cleveland dining experiences.

Next up was the smoked pork chop, which arrived again fairly quickly.  The pork chop was served with peppers, chessy polenta and barbequed onions, and was prepared medium per the chef's recommendation.  I cut into a piece, scooped a little bit of polenta, took a bite, and was blown away.  The pork was just deliciously seasoned; not overpowering, but very nicely balanced.  But it was the smokiness that really took it to another level and provided that extra depth of flavor.  Then there was the polenta.  When I make a cheesy polenta, it could be described as a polenta with cheese.  When Michael Symon makes polenta, it could be described as cheese with polenta, and fantastic.  And that was just the first bite.  As I worked my way through I got to the peppers which were just delicious, and the barbeque onion were like nothing I'd ever tasted.  I devoured the meal, coming up for air every now and then, savoring every bite.  When I got down to the end, I didn't hesitate to pick up the bone with my fingers and get every last piece of pork.

At the end of the meal, I just sat back in my chair very happy and very content and sipped on what was left of my wine.  I was planning on simply finishing my wine and heading back to the hotel, but decided to at least take a look at the dessert menu.  As I was scanning it, four magic words jumped out at me; "Maple Bacon Ice Cream".  I couldn't help myself.  It could have said maple bacon ice cream on shoe leather, I was ordering it.  Fortunately came not on shoe leather, but with poundcake french toast and carmelized apples; known simply as the 6 a.m. Special.  Sounds delicious, right?  It tasted even better than it sounds.  The ice cream was incredible as expected, and just worked very nicely with everything else.

Needless to say, when I finally finished, and paid the bill (a respectable $70 with tip) I was very pleased.  I feel like I'd been a little overly harsh on Cleveland.  Michael Symon has single handidly renewed my interest in the food scene of Cleveland.  And even though I still think that Bobby Flay has an edge on him when it comes to overall flavors, I did walk out with a signed copy of Michael Symon's cookbook and can't wait to try some of the delicious looking and sounding dishes.

Final Verdict - 4.5 Stars

Deck on Haili's Hawaiian Foods - Hawaii Restaurant Review

This is a review that I’ve been working on for a little awhile. I wanted to make sure that I truly captured what I wanted to say because it’s a place that will always be special to me. See, three weeks ago (April 23 to be exact), I got married. When we were discussing our plans, we knew that we wanted to get married in Hawaii. When we decided that we wanted to do traditional luau food for the reception, there was only one option: Haili’s Hawaiian Food.

Haili’s is a family owned restaurant, and my wife has known the family for many years. They recently moved their restaurant to Kaimuki, and they cater events such as ours. Prior to the wedding, I had eaten Hawaiian food before, but never from Haili’s. I was assured, however, that it would be the best that I’ve ever had. And the food for the event? Well, our menu consisted of Chicken Long Rice, Lomi Salmon, Squid Luau, Ahi Poke, Kalua Pork, Sweet Potatoes, Haupia, and of course, Pineapple and Poi.

On your wedding day, there is a lot going on. There is the ceremony and pictures and talking to people that have traveled in. It’s pretty easy for the food to get overlooked, or for you to not have time to eat it. But we were determined not to let that happen. After the ceremony and a quick round of pictures, we led the way to the serving line where I filled my plate with as much as I could, knowing I would probably not be able to make it back for seconds.

I decided to start with the chicken long rice, and it was fantastic. A little salty, but still with a great texture and a very nice chicken flavor. A solid way to start the meal. I followed that up with the Lomi Salmon. I had tried to make this once a long time ago, and I can tell you it wasn’t anywhere close. The salmon was finely diced, and mixed in with the tomatoes. The flavors played off each other, balancing the whole thing out. I don’t know how else to describe it other than delicious.

It was at this point that I turned to the two things that had me the most excited, the Poke and Kalua Pork. These were things that I’d had before, so if this was going to be the best Hawaiian food ever, then these two would have to shine. And shine they did. The poke was incredible. I learned that this version of the poke is only made by one of the owners, and only she has the recipe. The fish was absolutely perfect, with a blend of seasoning and seaweed that added a very nice crunch. The flavor just explodes in your mouth and you barely finish the first bite before the next one comes racing in. My mouth starts watering just thinking back to those flavors. And the pork? I don’t know if there are words. The pork was so tender and so succulent. It just melted in my mouth. I’ve had a fair amount of Kalua pork in my trips to Hawaii, but I can’t remember anything like this.

A lot of that night is a blur, but I absolutely remember the food, and so do many of our guests. The pork is still getting rave reviews every time we talk to anyone that went to the wedding. One of my friends was describing a filet mignon and lobster macaroni that he’s planning on for his wedding and finished with “it was almost as good as the pork at your wedding”. My family who is from the great state of Wyoming, and doesn’t have access to that type of food, was blown away, excited that they decided to remove their self-imposed boycott of eating raw fish (well, most of them).

While it is true that the nature of the event where I had Haili’s Hawaiian Food for the first time could skew my opinion a little, this is one area where you can trust me. Do yourself a favor next time you are in Hawaii and stop by Haili’s for lunch. Or if you are in Hawaii reading this, I hope that you’ve had the opportunity to enjoy the incredible food at Haili’s. This will forever be the measuring stick for all Hawaiian food that I eat.

Final Verdict – 5 Stars (you knew it was coming)

Deck's Strawberry Stuffed French Toast

Fellas, pay attention to this one because this one is for you.  If you want to earn some brownie points, pull this one out.  It's perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, or any other morning you want to be a little extra special.  This recipe is sure to please your wife, girlfriend, or girl you are interested in, and is incredibly easy to pull together.  It's not overly sweet, and surprisingly light.   This is the recipe I tried a week ago. I tweaked it a little bit and broke it out again this morning getting very favorable reviews.  And ladies, feel free to pass this on to your guy and tell him he can thank me later.

Deck's Strawberry Stuffed French Toast


Serves 2


Ingredients:

1 loaf Brioche bread (or some other soft, light bread such as French or even Challah)
1/3 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup strawberry jam or preserves
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup fresh strawberries, diced

Step 1:  Slice the break into about 1 inch wide slices (should be just wider than 2 slices of sandwich bread).  In the side of each slice, cut a slit that goes almost all the way through, and almost all the way end to end.  You basically want to create a pouch for the filling.

Step 2: Mix the cream cheese and jam together.  Then using a spoon or small, thin spatula, put half of the cream cheese mixture into each slice.  You want to try and get it as evenly distributed within the slice as possible.  Next add the fresh, diced strawberries to the slice, again using a spoon or spatula to distribute them throughout the pouch.

Step 3:  In a skillet or griddle, melt the butter slowly over medium heat.  While the butter is melting mix together the eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla in a bowl or shallow dish large enough for the entire slice to fit into.

Step 4:  Take the brown sugar and sprinkle on the outside of each slice.  Work the brown sugar into the bread with your fingers.  Flip each slice over and repeat.

Step 5:  Dip the slice of french toast into the egg mixture, coating it completely.  Flip it over and coat the other side.  Add to the skillet.  Repeat with the second slice.  Cook for about 5 minutes on each side until a nice golden brown.

Finishing: I like to serve this with some powdered sugar and additional sliced strawberries over the top.  You can add a flavored syrup or regular maple.  Cooking this in the butter will give it that nice butter flavor without having to add any later.