Railroad French Toast

[ScottC4746]

We were reviewing the menus for SWC and CZ and noticed on both the Railroad French Toast is gone. Appears to have been replaced with pancakes. Has anyone had the pancakes yet?

 

[the_traveler]

Yes, the pancakes are very good. The railroad French toast used to be my favorite, but in the past few years it was pre made and just reheated in the kitchen! (It was no longer freshly made on the train!)

 

[CHamilton]

Scott, it's generally French Toast in one direction and pancakes in the other. On the southbound CS it's pancakes. They're hit or miss -- I've had very good ones, and others that were overcooked and rubbery.

 

[Anderson]

I've noticed that there are a few dish slots that are one thing one way and another thing the other (i.e. I think the seafood on the Silvers switches between salmon and crabcakes).

 

[dlagrua]

When Amtrak went to the pre-made French Toast it was still decent just not fresh prepared.. I believe that the same pre-made recipe might still be used. For the people that wish to enjoy great RR French Toast at home, (which is touted as the best tasting of all) here is the original Santa Fe recipe for it:

2 slices white bread sliced 3/4" thick

1/2 cup light cream

2 eggs

pinch salt

1/2 cup cooking oil

Pre-heat oven to 400*F.

Place all ingredients (except oil) in bowl and mix with an egg beater or large fork

Cut bread slices diagonally into four triangle pieces. Place oil in small frying pan or skillet. Heat to frying temperature. Take each piece of bread and dip it in the cream/egg mixture covering on both sides. Fry bread for about 1-2 minutes per side to lt golden brown but watch that it doesn't turn too dark. Remove from frying pan and put on a paper towel over a plate and cover it with another towel to absorb oil. Transfer to baking sheet and place in oven. Bake 4-6 minutes until bread slices have puffed up. Remove from oven and sprinkle very lightly with powdered sugar and/or cinnamon (optional) and serve with real maple syrup, applesauce, current jelly, or preserves and bacon, ham and sausage if desired.

IMO this is the ultimate French Toast recipe and we make it at home often.

This may have been the Fred Harvey recipe but I tell you they got it right. Most of the other railroad recipes for French Toast were very similar but not quite as good. We've tried them all.

Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holiday to all

 

[crescent2]

Thanks, diagrua! We always enjoyed the French toast on the Crescent. Will have to try your recipe soon; it sounds delicious.

Merry Christmas and God bless to all my AU friends!

 

[D.P. Roberts]

Scott, it's generally French Toast in one direction and pancakes in the other. On the southbound CS it's pancakes. They're hit or miss -- I've had very good ones, and others that were overcooked and rubbery.

Empire Builder - French Toast westbound, pancakes eastbound

Southwest Chief - Pancakes westbound and eastbound

California Zephyr - Pancakes westbound and eastbound

Coast Starlight - Pancakes northbound and eastbound

Sunset Limited - Pancakes westbound, French Toast eastbound

City of New Orleans - French Toast northbound, pancakes southbound

Silver Meteor - French Toast northbound, pancakes southbound

Silver Star - Pancakes northbound, French Toast southbound

Capitol Limited - French Toast

Texas Eagle - French Toast

Lake Shore Limited - French Toast

I don't see any rhyme or reason to it. And, I don't remember pancakes being so prevalent - I'm sure I've had French Toast on some of those routes that currently have pancakes instead.

 

[Chatter163]

When I rode the Crescent last month, it was french toast northbound (though the menu still said pancakes), and pancakes southbound

 

[TVRM610]

For what it's worth I had pancakes on the Capitol East bound about a month ago. I thought they were very good.

 

[alanh]

So are the pancakes freshly made, or are they from frozen like the French toast?

 

[TVRM610]

The menu reads "made to order buttermilk pancakes". I suppose we can interpret that anyway we like. Ha. But they seemed pretty freshly made when I had them.