8-10 1” slices of day-old peasant loaf, other white bread, or challah 1 1/2 cups milk 5 eggs 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (fresh ground for maximum flavor) 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger good pinch salt butter and/or neutral oil for frying

Preheat your largest skillet over medium heat. Crack the eggs into a large bowl, and whisk vigorously. Slowly whisk in the milk, and then sugar, vanilla, spices and salt. Whisk well so the ingredients are light and frothy. Immerse 3 or 4 slices of bread and let them soak until they are nearly falling apart. I like to cook my french toast with a mix of butter and neutral oil, such as canola; to start, I suggest you add one tablespoon each.
Once the oil is hot, but not smoking, place the soaked slices in the skillet and fry each side for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, dip the next batch of bread slices in the batter. If you need to, you can always add more milk of egg to make the batter stretch a bit further.
Dump any remaining batter over the last pieces of french toast as they cook. Keep cooked slices of french toast in a warm platter in a 200 degree oven.
Serve french toast with a dash of ground cinnamon and a drizzle of maple syrup.