Do You Ever Feel Like A Stale Baguette?

So maybe you’ve got a loaf of bread that’s about to go stale that you bought before you started social distancing and maybe you want to have dessert for breakfast because honestly what IS time anymore? I found myself in this predicament today and decided to make a delicious comfort food.

Surprise, surprise: That comfort food was indeed comforting but also made me a little sad. I think it is normal to be confused and scared right now, and I also think it is normal to be sad. Obviously! And yet I still feel like it needs to be said. I also don’t think anyone should feel guilty for being sad about the way this pandemic is affecting their social lives and plans and day-to-day experiences. Yes we’re in a global crisis. But shit is nuanced, Susan! Being sad about personal things does not inherently mean you’re being selfish! It is a very weird time.

Anyway, I got a little sad because my comfort food of choice today was bread pudding, and bread pudding is the favorite dessert of my father and also my mother’s father. Grandpa and dad both live across the country in Virginia (I’m in Las Vegas), and I don’t know when I’ll see either of them again which is a very strange feeling that I know a lot of people are experiencing right now. I’ve never made bread pudding myself, but the second I saw the hardened half-loaf of bread I knew what to do with it. Food can make us feel closer to people even when we can’t physically be so.

Here is a breakdown of the super simple bread pudding I made. All measurements are approx. and if you want a more custardy bread pudding, up the butter and eggs. Just make sure you’re making enough of the milk+egg mixture to thoroughly coat your bread hunks.

Preheat oven to 350.

Cut up your days-old bread into two inch cubes (I like it chunky but feel free to go smaller if you like) and put them in a buttered casserole dish or deep baking pan.

Pour two cups of room temp milk into a small saucepan and add two tablespoons of butter, a splash of pure vanilla extract if you’ve got it, a dash of cinnamon, and 1/3 cup of sugar. Other things you can add include a splash of orange juice and/or a splash of brandy or bourbon.

Heat it up until the butter melts completely then transfer to a bowl and place in the fridge to cool. (A trick I use for faster cooling is to wrap the bowl in a wet paper towel or wet dish towel...HOT TIP: this is also an effective way to chill wine/beer/Red Powerade faster in the fridge!)

Once it is cool enough add 2-3 beaten eggs to the milk mixture. Whisk it all together then pour over the bread cubes. Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Give it a good stir then bake for another 15 minutes.

I did not make a sauce because I just wanted to inhale it the second I took it out of the oven but if you do want to make a quick sauce, melt half a stick of butter in a saucepan then whisk in half a cup of sugar, 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half or milk, and a splash of bourbon and/or vanilla extract. Whisk while simmering until it cooks down and thickens.

Def eat the bread pudding while it’s warm. It’s okay to be sad!!!!!! About anything!!!! It is also okay to eat dessert for breakfast!!!! Byeeee!!!!

Lola approves.