Posted By Michelle on September 30, 2009

Every chef since the dawn of, um, chefdom has been inspired by something in real life when he/ she created that amazing, mouthwatering dish.

Some chefs have been inspired by watching birds feast on sea life, while others inspired by what could be found on the woodland floor, and for others, the simplicity of eating an ice cream cone has, at times, brought about great things. The Sherpas, well we get inspired by plays about schizophrenics, or what they were eating, rather.

While thoroughly –and we mean go buy your tickets now, thoroughly – enjoying Jobsite Theater’s And Baby Makes Seven (playing at The Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center until October 11th), we began to glaze off during one specific scene. We won’t spoil it by revealing the scene, but we will tell you that the good old-fashioned PB&J was the star. We should have been paying attention; it was a hilarious scene - or at least the ear piercing, gut-busting laughter that surrounded us said it was, but instead we found ourselves salivating over this peanut butter and strawberry jelly sandwich - gooey, creamy, peanuti-ness dancing with the sweet, smooth strawberry jam - life’s little simplistic joys at their best.

As much as we won’t spoil the story behind And Baby Makes Seven, we will not instruct you on how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, either. We give our readers far more credit than that. But we will share the recipe that emerged from said evening, three stellar personalities that created a true concoction of genius.

Btw, BREAK A LEG DAVID!!!!!!

Peanut Butter and Jelly French Toast
Serves 4

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

8 slices day old brioche or challah bread
½ cup peanut butter
1 cup heavy cream
2 egg yolks
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon grated cinnamon
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Heat the balsamic vinegar, along with the lavender flowers in a small saucepan, just until steaming. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the lavender to steep and cool thoroughly. (Think making tea). When fully cooled, pour through a fine strainer and mix in a bowl with the strawberries and sugar. Set this bowl aside and allow the berries to macerate at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Pour this mixture into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour through a fine strainer and set aside. (This can be done 1-2 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Bring the “jelly” to room temperature before serving.)

Take 4 of the brioche slices and spread 1 side of each slice evenly with peanut butter, ensuring that each slice is completely covered. Top each slice with 1 of the remaining 4 slices of brioche to make a sandwich.

Mix the cream, egg yolks, eggs, cinnamon, and sugar together in a wide bowl or pie pan until very smooth and slightly frothy. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet wide enough to hold 2 of the “sandwiches” over medium-low heat, until the butter foams. Dip 2 of the sandwiches in the egg-cream mixture and allow each side to soak for the count of “3”. Remove from the batter and immediately place in the skillet, cooking each side for 2-3 minutes, until nicely browned. Add the remaining butter and repeat for the remaining 2 sandwiches. Drizzle each sandwich with a liberal amount of the strawberry “jelly” and serve immediately.

Categories: Breakfast and Brunch, Budget Recipes, French Cuisine, Holiday, Main Course, Our Comfort Food, Super Fast Recipes
Tags: and baby makes seven, brioche toast, french toast, jobsite theater, peanut butter and jelly sandwich