"Heart Strike" - Bahamian French Toast
Delta Force #2, Heart Strike
EXCERPT:
“What is it?”
“A lot of guys call me the Ice Queen—the light hair and skin.” Then her voice turned softer and bitter. “That and because I won’t screw every guy who thinks he deserves it.”
“Ice? You?” He had to laugh. “Only if they’re completely blind. So I won’t use Frozen’s Elsa again. Uh…Casablanca’s Ilsa! You sizzle! And in a dress like Elsa’s with your hair down?… Whoo! The idea of it. Whoo!” He didn’t know what else to say.
After a silence that spanned thirty-odd miles crossing the heart of central Florida, she leaned over and pulled aside the earpiece of his headset. He braced himself for an ear-splitting rebuke.
Instead she spoke in a breathy whisper that tickled his ear. “I’d look great out of it too.”
His training kept the big plane on an even flight, but he had no training concerning what to do when his mind rammed full speed into such heavy turbulence.
***
Three hours later, the plane was floating alongside a small resort’s dock on Bahama’s Cat Island because Richie had said he couldn’t resist. And Melissa hadn’t been about to argue. She was certainly as pleased as a cat.
They were splitting a sausage-and-pepper omelet and an order of Bahamian cinnamon French toast. It wasn’t all that different from the breakfast she’d had yesterday afternoon next to the Clearwater hotel pool, but it tasted about a thousand times better.
Note 1: Bahamian French Toast, a common breakfast on the islands, is typically made with a sweet coconut bread. As I was gearing up to start testing bread recipes I found an alternative that’s quick and easy. Sometimes it’s nice to have quick and easy. You can top this with any syrup, but maple syrup alone tends to overpower the lighter flavors. Mix your syrup with fresh fruit or go all out with my Bananas Foster(ish) recipe from Firehawks Smokejumpers #1, Wildfire at Dawn (reproduced below).
Note 2: The riper the bananas are, the sweeter and bananaier they are. If you have ones going black on the outside, it’s the perfect time for this recipe. Or, toss them in a brown paper bag (not plastic) for a couple days until they darken.
Note 3: Use a good quality French or Italian bread in thick (3/4”-1”) slices. Standard store bread will dissolve and sourdough adds the wrong flavor notes.
Active time: 15 minutes / Cook time: 10 minutes / Total time: 1 hour / Serves: 4
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Ingredients – Bahamian French Toast The wet: · 4 lg. eggs · 2 very ripe bananas · 2/3 c. coconut milk · 1 tsp. vanilla · 2 Tbsp. good quality dark rum (we use Myers’s), can substitute dark brown sugar · 1 tsp. cinnamon · Zest of a whole lime · Dash of salt
The Other: · 8 slices of thick-cut bread · 2 tsp. each of olive oil and butter for frying |
Ingredients – Bananas Foster(ish) (All amounts are per banana.) · 1 ripe (but not yet soft) banana per person · 2 Tbsp. butter · 1/4 c. brown sugar · 1 Tbsp. maple syrup · 1 Tbsp. dark rum, optional · 1/2 tsp. vanilla · 1/4 tsp. cinnamon · 2 Tbsp. broken walnuts pieces Other Toppings · Fresh or thawed fruit · Butter and syrup · Jam · Shredded sweet coconut |
The French Toast Instructions
1. Mix all the wet ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, but not foamy.
2. In a baking dish, soak the bread for at least 45 minutes, turning every 10-15.
3. Cook small batches in a pan over medium-high heat with the olive oil and butter.
The Bananas Foster(ish) Instructions
Note: For a different kind of treat, make this exact recipe but serve it over a high-quality vanilla ice cream instead of French Toast for a great dessert (and proper Bananas Foster).
1. Brown the butter over medium heat (3-5 minutes).
2. Add everything except the bananas, stirring rapidly to mix well.
3. Bring to a boil, but not a violent one (if too uppity, remove from the heat for 30 seconds). If you used the rum, let simmer for 1-2 minutes to burn off the alcohol.
4. Slice the bananas into thirds or fourths the long way (or just cut them into 1/4” slices the short way). Immerse in the liquid for 1-2 minutes until the bananas are softened.
5. Spread over the French Toast and don’t skip the sauce.
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| Bread soaking in eggy banana-coconut milk batter | Quick Bahamian French Toast served with strawberries, a touch of maple syrup, and a sprinkling of shredded coconut. And a side of bacon, of course. |
