Spirit of the Season: Cooking with President Book and Chef Vetter

Each week during December, Elon will be releasing a new video to highlight moments that make the winter season extra special.

Sweet and savory recipes make the holiday season special, and this week the Spirit of the Season video series takes viewers to the university’s Loy Farm, which grows food used by Mill Point Catering, Elon Campus Kitchen and Allied Churches of Alamance County.

President Connie Ledoux Book joins Elon Dining Executive Chef Jay Vetter at Loy Farm to prepare a holiday-inspired French toast. Joining President Book and Chef Vetter for the video were Ran-Lew Dairy’s Randy Lewis and one of his cows, Pearl. Ran-Lew Dairy in Snow Camp, N.C., provides Elon Dining with milk, egg nog and other dairy products.

“We like to partner at Elon with a lot of producers and farmers, Randy being one of them,” Vetter explains in the video.

Ran-Lew’s egg nog plays a starring role in the French toast recipe, which you’ll find below. The recipe is just one included in a special holiday recipe book available on the university’s Spirit of the Season website.

Classic French Toast

By Chef Jay Vetter, Elon Dining

Total Time

  • Prep – 15 minutes
  • Cook – 10 minutes

Makes four servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup eggnog (*Ran-Lew Dairy Milk Company LLC)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (if desired)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (if desired)
  • Thick sliced Brioche or Challah Bread
  • Whipped Cream
  • Syrup

Directions

  • In a bowl, add eggnog and 2 eggs, beaten. Mix together with cinnamon and vanilla if desired.
  • Dredge your thick-sliced bread in the milk mixture.
  • Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and cook your toast until golden brown on each side, and the middle of your toast is cooked through.
  • Top with syrup and whipped cream!