Challah French Toast

I discovered last week that I have access in this great state of California to a childhood memory. Great Harvest Bread Company is that memory. Every week after my trombone lesson in Naperville, my mom would pick me up and we'd stop by the Great Harvest Bread Company for our weekly loaf of bread and free sample. The free samples were a full slice of the fresh made bread of your choice slathered with sweet, soft butter. Sometimes, if we were lucky, we also got a quarter of an oatmeal chocolate cookie--warm from the oven.

When I learned that there is a Great Harvest Bread Company right around the corner in South Pasadena, I knew I had to make it my priority to visit!

I went with my sister in law to the bread company on pretty much the cutest street in South Pas. I didn't even know such an adorable street existed! Despite all the other restaurants on the street, GHBC was packed. The line was almost out the door at noon when we arrived. This GHBC offers sandwiches and salads in addition to selling fresh bread and cookies. You can read my review of the restaurant here.

The bread. The bread is dense and fresh and delicious. GHBC makes a few breads every day and then some variety breads that are different each day. Every customer is offered a sample of bread and either butter or jam. They also have samples of the cookies sometimes. I tasted the Challah. I was thrilled to see that they have challah on Fridays because that and brioche is the bread that is always called for in French Toast recipes--and I can never find it. GHBC was offering both plain challah loaves and cinnamon chip raisin loaves. The challah was delicious, the loaf was a little expensive for the size--$5, but it was worth it!

I used Betty Crocker's recipe for French Toast. We only made 6 slices of toast and had about half of the loaf leftover. The French Toast was good but I didn't think it was that much better than using French Toast bread that you can get for $2 at the regular grocery store. I would rather just eat the bread, warmed in the microwave with a little butter.