FRENCH TOAST MIRACLE

                         It is not really a miracle, I just put a lot of thought and planning in this breakfast item at a time in St Louis, when we tried to stay the #1 hotel of all the Stouffer Hotel and Resorts in the USA. The new Rolls Royce of French Toast was well received by our customers and I decided to offer it again when I worked on Mackinac Island.

There, in the Euro Garden, three very special ladies of mine, Michelle, Jennifer and Amy loved my French toast and even now are talking about it occasionally. Amy asked me a number of times for the recipe and after a push from Donna I finally took my time to put the recipe together.

There are three component to this dish you have to prepare before serving your toast,  
one: Brioche bread                      two: Royal icing                    three: caramel sauce.

Brioche is a sweet breakfast bread and is the main item for this recipe. You could substitute it with some kind of egg bread, but it would certainly not taste as good. The best thing is to find it in a local bakery and if not, make it yourself. Here is the recipe:

BRIOCHE BREAD

(two loaf 4.5x8.5)

15 oz all purpose flour

4 oz sugar

1 envelope (¼ oz) dry yeast

1 tsp salt

4 oz warm whole milk

4 each eggs

12 tbls unsalted butter (6 oz)

I do not recommended to mix this dough by hand as it's very sticky!

Into the mixer bowl put the flour, sugar and salt. Mix milk and yeast and let stand for 10 minutes, add to mixing bowl. Begin mixing at a low speed. When the ingredients have combined, add the eggs one by one and continue mixing.

Once the dough is well mixed, gradually add the butter one tbl at the time, mixing continuously. Don't add the butter all in one go as this may cause it to separate and ruin the dough. When you have added all the butter, continue mixing on a low speed for another 8 minutes.

Transfer dough into another bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel and leave to rise for about an hour and a half. Make sure the dough is not left in too warm a place or the butter will begin to "leak" out of the dough. After doubled in volume, push down gently to deflate and cover again. place in the fridge to chill, preferably overnight.

Next day leave dough covered with towel in room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. Divide dough in two and place in bread loaf forms. Let rise in warm place until dough reach top of forms. Gently egg wash loafs. Place in 375 degree oven for 18 minutes.

Brioche dough before baking

ROYAL ICING:

Place 4 oz and 1 egg white in small bowl and whip with electric hand mixer on high speed until icing is snow white and stiff. Because icing will dry quickly, cover immediately with moist towel. I fill the icing in a pastry bag made with parchment paper. You also can use a sandwich bag, cutting of a corner to squeeze out the icing.

Perfect Royal Icing

Cut a triangle out of parchment paper and form a cornet

or use a sandwich bag.

just like that

CARAMEL SAUCE:

1 oz butter

8 oz sugar

3 oz fresh orange juice

4 oz heavy cream

All ingredients to prepare caramel sauce

how to prepare see video.

                           If you're by yourself it takes some invention and preparation to make the video and I have to show you my primitive way to shoot my cooking action.

My tripod to have the perfect height for the camera

I put up extra light for better viewing 

first camera check, not very good

Perfect shot, ready for action

Here is the result of all this, the Video "How to make Caramel sauce"

How to finish and present final FRENCH TOAST see video:

BON APPETIT

LAKE OF THE OZARK

                          Here we go, another of our few mini vacations of this year. but first thing is first.

                        On Sunday July 8 we enjoyed  breakfast at Wimbledon and watched intensely and with enjoyment the great Swiss tennis genius at work in the 2012 tournament final against the lucky Scottish boy who advanced to the final without facing Nadal. It was a pleasure to see Roger agile and technically perfect against a 5 year younger opponent, actually giving him a free tennis lesson. I felt a tiny bit sorry for Andy, being the first British tennis player in the final for quite some time and having all that pressure of the whole country on him. Needless to say, my mood was perfect when we went on the road to the Ozark after I watched Roger hoist the Wimbledon trophy for the 7 time and became number one in the world again at the same time. Congratulation to ROGER!  

Roger Federer, July 8, 2012

                            It took us about  two and a half hour until we arrived at the condo by the lake Windy had organized.  It was very comfortable, pleasant and also had the only sand beach for miles.

Our condo was located by the town Lake Ozark

                            Jacob and Luke seamed to be very happy to see grandma and grandpa. Grandma had to start right away fishing lessons for Jacob and I took Luke to the pool for swimming lessons and some crazy ball tossing game. Lots of fun.

When we arrived we found the boys in the Lake

 

Donna is wondering if she should join them in the water?

 

but she decided on catching some dinner

 

and she had to teach  the kids the art of fishing

I prefer the pool, because the Lake is not very clean

My shirt I wore the past three days

swimming lessons for Luke

 

The pool in this resort was strictly for Luke and me, there ware no 

other people there. It was sensational.

Monday was a great day, we spent all day on the lake

in a rented Pontoon boat

I came to the conclusion that yes, Donna loves fishing

Windy and Jacob enjoying the boat ride

They both loved being towed behind the boat on a rope

even without skis or tube. 

Jacob was ready to do this all day

We had cocktails and lunch at the "Shady Gator"

Great Day for me. as the Captain of the boat everybody

 had to obey my orders. Ha

Luke needed a nap.

 

building a sand fort

Donna even was teaching me to fish

and I got lucky!

On Wednesday we returned

Home sweet home

SUMMER FUN

   
                                  July 2012 started promising for me. On Sunday, the first of July,  Donna treated me to a incredible tasty thin crust, St Louis style Pizza. This is extraordinary, because I do all the cooking at home. It felt like being on vacation at home. The Pizza was out of this world.

Just like a pro.

Sausage, onions, fresh jalapenos and extra cheese

Perfect workman ship

Delicious! 

                          On Wednesday July fourth , United States of America Independence Day, Karla, Gina, Eric and Daniel came to our house around 5ish for cocktails, before going to the St Charles riverfront to watch the fireworks

.   

We needed a pit stop on the way to the waterfront

I also got caught by the hidden camera

Waiting for the firework to start.

It was a great display and lasted close to 40 minutes.

We took a video, but had some technical difficulties and it did not came out, sorry!

Back home for a few more beverages

and watching more fireworks on TV

BIRCHERMUESLI

                       A special request from Daniel for his wife and mother-to-be Gina.

                       Today I went shopping for all the ingredients and put together the recipe with pictures and video. I was by myself with out cameramen and surprised myself something came out of it. Here we are;

                       Birchermuesli was created by Dr. Bircher, a doctor of medicine from Bern, Switzerland. He was concerned with nutrition and dieting but also enjoyed eating well.

Certified healthy food

BIRCHERMUESLI

serves 6 people

           2 cup   Quaker oats

                 6 oz     Milk

                 2 oz     Orange Juice

                 1 each  Apple unpeeled grated

                 1 oz      Walnut chopped

                 2 each  Orange sections

                 2 oz      Sugar

                 8 oz      whipped cream sweeten

                 approx. 8 oz cut up fresh berries and fruit in season.

                   ( Strawberry, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, peaches banana etc.)

Click at the picture for better view

Soak oatmeal Flakes with milk, orange juice and grated apple first.

add sugar, orange sections and walnuts.

add fruit and berries

fold in whipped cream.

for best result, serve same day

Camera check

Bon appetit

                        

GOLF, MY NEW FOUND PASSION

                         I was over 40 years old the first time I attempted to hit a golf ball and exactly 50 years old when I became the proud owner of a full set of Wilson golf clubs. At that time I was working at Mission Point Resort in Mackinac Island and most of the executive staff took off every Sunday afternoon during the summer season and because there is not much else to do, we went golfing. We played the best golf courses around that region. The best part, because of MPR's connections, it was always for free. Who said golfing is expensive?
                          Since I am back in St Charles, I consider myself lucky to be on the golf course at the least every other week with Daniel and Eric and when ever possible Joe is joining us. Even Donna is hitting the ball strait and plays golf with us on the weekend.

Daniel was on a fishing trip in Canada and Donna, Eric and myself

 took advantage of a beautiful day and went golfing

Great life!