Ellington

Ditch the maple syrup with Chef Fabio's Italian twist on this morning favorite, stuffed with creamy mascarpone and drizzled with a quickly made blueberry compote. This dish is perfect for a lazy brunch with the family or for special guests.

French toast is a dish we have borrowed from the French, who call it pain perdu, or lost bread...It is known in England as the poor knights of Windsor, which is the same phrase used in many countries: fattig a riddare in Sweden; arme ridder in Danish; and armer ritter in German. One theory about how the latter name came about goes as follows: In olden times, one of the symbols of distinction between the gentry and the common herd was that the former were expected to serve dessert at dinner. Knights, of course, were gentry. But not all of them were rich. Those who were not, in order to maintain their status, made do with armer ritter, often served with jam.

Another from A Taste of History, explanation for the Poor Knights was that in the 1346 battle of Crecy in France, many knights had been captured by the French and needed to sell their estate for ransom money for their release. Edward III gave them housing in Windsor castle in trade for labor around the palace.

To make poore knights.

Cut two penny loaves in round slices, dip them in half a pint of Cream or faire water, then lay them abroad in a dish, and beat three Eggs and grated Nutmegs and sugar, beat them with the Cream then melt some butter in a frying pan, and wet the sides of the toasts and lay them in on the wet side, then pour in the rest upon them, and so fry them, serve them in with Rosewater, sugar and butter.