# "What Do They Call French Toast in France?" & Similar Questions
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [June 1, 2007, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300 "2007-06-01T04:06:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 6
### Author:  [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/101 "2007-06-04T06:05:15Z")
Our supermarket shelves have recently sprouted a dire concoction of sugar and yellow food colouring labelled “American mustard”. Somehow having 16 other varieties of mustard that actually taste somewhat like mustard is not enough.
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### Author:  [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/102 "2007-06-04T06:07:58Z")
[QUOTE=Einmon]
Oh, and a fitting anecdote: A friend of mine from Chicago went into a German bakery and pointed to a [baked good she wanted to purchase](http://www.marions-kochbuch.de/rezept/0475.jpg). The sales person said “Amerikaner?” (“American?”) and she replied “Yes, how did you know?” … In that case, the sales person was not psychic, but “Amerikaner” is the name of those things (flat sponge cake-y things with frosting if you can’t tell from the picture).
[/QUOTE]
And when I first went to a bakery in Berlin, I heard someone order an “Amerikan” and thought they were making fun of me, so I ordered a fat Berliner…I think the woman behind the counter is still laughing at that one. Plus, I was later told that “Amerikaner” were so named because they had chocolate and vanilla icing (black and white) and named after the black and white American GI’s during WWII…maybe that is an urban legend?
French toast in Berlin was called Armer Ritter (Poor Knight?) but they don’t use maple syrup much, so they would just put powdered sugar or jam on it.
I love to eat Chinese food, but I guess in China it would just be called “food”?
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### Author:  [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/103 "2007-06-04T06:18:21Z")
Japanese say _American coffee_ or the weaker version of _blend coffee_which is a often bit stronger than regular coffee served in the US. The _American coffee_ is much weaker. When asked what we call it in the States, I normally say _Denney’s coffee_
Japanese use _French kiss_ to mean kissing on the cheek and _deep kiss_ for what I learned as _French kiss_. And yes, that did cause misunderstanding. :o
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### Author:  [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/104 "2007-06-04T06:53:32Z")
[QUOTE=TokyoPlayer]
Japanese use _French kiss_ to mean kissing on the cheek and _deep kiss_ for what I learned as _French kiss_. And yes, that did cause misunderstanding. :o
[/QUOTE]
Damn you, **TokyoPlayer** , you beat me to _American coffee_ by just this much.
I’ll add that what I believe is called “corn dog” in America is known _American dog_ in Japan.
“Ramen”, in Japan, is usually called “ramen”. However, the original term, which is still in use is _chuuka-soba_ – Chinese soba. In China, “Chinese soba” is called _rishi-lamian_", meaning “Japanese lamian”.
“French kiss” are just called “baiser” (kiss) in France. If you need to be specific, you can say “_baiser avec la langue_” (kiss with the tongue) or “_baiser amoureux_” or “_baiser érotique_” (loving/erotic kiss). There are a number of slang terms, such as “_rouler une pelle_” (To roll a shovel). There’s also an obscure and archaic expression: “_baiser florentin_”, which means “Florentine kiss”. This, of course, begs the question: what do they call a Florentine kiss in Florence?
Incidently, in Québec, a French kiss is called “_un french_”, from which you get the verb “_frencher_”.
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### Author:  [@Antonius\_Block](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antonius_Block)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/105 "2007-06-04T07:09:12Z")
[QUOTE=chowder]
What do they call a Glasgow Kiss in Edinburgh?
[/QUOTE]
Well, in **Edinburgh** it’s called a “Glasgow Kiss”.
However, in **Glasgow** itself, when a [Glasgow kiss](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_Kiss) is performed properly, the kiss **ee** doesn’t remember quite _how_ he ended up in the ambulance, and the kiss **er** isn’t talking. [Hence the saying, _“don’t kiss and tell”_.] Any witnesses are keeping [shtum](http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/SHTUM) if they know what’s good for them. 😉 So, the answer is [“mu”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mu_%28negative%29).
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### Author:  [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/106 "2007-06-04T10:15:38Z")
[QUOTE=Lisa Ann]
[Quote=Nava]
Spanish omelette is tortilla juliana, but tortilla española is potato omelette. Juliana is chopped-up (green) veggies.
[/quote]
??? I thought that pappas is spanish (mexican?) for potatoes
[/QUOTE]
Papas or patatas depending on country, yes. But why should we have only one name for something as essential as tortilla de patatas? It’s both a first dish and a tapa! It can even be a whole meal, cos it has potato and egg and may have onion. It’s, it’s… _important!_ Important stuff gets more than one name 🙂
So we also call it tortilla española… but when I see Spanish omelette on a menu in Anglo countries, it’s not potato omelette, it’s veggies omelette. Which is Juliana in Spain.
Tortilla (a la) francesa is the one that’s only got egg. Apparently them French didn’t have budget for 'tatoes 😉
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### Author:  [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/107 "2007-06-04T10:21:21Z")
What are those Spanish peanuts?
A French kiss is _con lengua_ in Spain. _Un francés_ is a BJ.
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### Author:  [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/108 "2007-06-04T13:13:32Z")
[QUOTE=movingfinger]
My uncle used to refer to milktoast (buttered toast, placed in a bowl with warm milk poured over it) as “Graveyard Stew”.
[/QUOTE]
Our milktoast was buttered and white-sugared and placed on a plate, with the milk (not warm) poured on the edge so it got absorbed, but not poured over the toast.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/109 "2007-06-04T14:05:54Z")
[QUOTE=Nava]
What are those Spanish peanuts?
[/QUOTE]
Little red-skinned peanuts usually salted raw or made into peanut butter or peanut brittle, like [these](http://www.krema.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PEASNS). ([Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peanut#Spanish_group) )
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### Author:  [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/110 "2007-06-04T14:11:52Z")
😕 so what’s the difference between those and regular?
I mean, to me that’s just “cacahuetes con piel” (peanuts with their skin) as opposed to “cacahuetes pelados” (peeled peanuts) and “cacahuetes con cáscara” (unshelled peanuts). Or maní if you’re from Other Spanish-speaking Places.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/111 "2007-06-04T15:19:23Z")
[QUOTE=Nava]
😕 so what’s the difference between those and regular?
[/QUOTE]
To me, the main characteristic, besides the skin, is their size and shape. They’re smaller and more roundish than the longish light-coloured ones you commonly find in mixed nuts.
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### Author:  [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/112 "2007-06-04T16:39:20Z")
How about a couple of fun ones from Brazil:
_chave inglesa_ / “English Wrench”
_soco inglês_ / “English Punch (fist)”
_jogo americano_ / “American Set”
Take a guess what English speakers call these items
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### Author:  [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/113 "2007-06-04T18:35:32Z")
So for real, what’s a French braid in France?
When I was at summer camp many a year ago, a French girl told me they were called African braids. But she also had half our unit convinced that all schoolchildren wore diapers to class every day so that no class time was wasted on bathroom breaks.
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### Author:  [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/114 "2007-06-04T18:58:16Z")
[QUOTE=fetus]
The vegetarian bit changes things, though. How is that in Atlanta, BTW? Do you have to defend yourself all the time? Is it tough to eat out?
[/quote]
My brother-in-law lives in Atlanta and keeps kosher pretty much the same way we do (he’ll eat vegetarian food or kosher fish in a non-kosher restaurant, but no meat, poultry, non-kosher fish, or shellfish). He doesn’t have any problems finding stuff he can eat, AFAIK. He can’t have biscuits and gravy- the sausage is usually pork AIUI, and even if it weren’t the combination of meat sausage and milk in the gravy would be a no-no.
> [@](#):
>
> As for the vomit thing, bleu cheese and chicken a la king look like vomit too and they’re nothing to sneeze at. Not that you would eat either one, but still.
A vegetarian might eat bleu cheese. A vegan wouldn’t, though.
> [@Christopher](#):
>
> It is cheese FOOD!
So… I’m supposed to be feeding this stuff _to_ cheese? 😉
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### Author:  [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/115 "2007-06-04T19:10:00Z")
The French foreign-exchange student that my family had about 13 years ago called french toast “l’oeuf bread.” Yes, exactly that way - “l’oeuf bread.” Not “pain d’oeuf” or “egg bread” but a nice mixture of the two languages. (I’m still not certain whether he just didn’t know the English for “l’oeuf” at that point or not.)
And I was going to comment on the American cheese thing, but it’s been covered. Many times on this board, too - do a search.
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### Author:  [@Lisa\_Ann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa_Ann)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/116 "2007-06-04T19:52:42Z")
[QUOTE=Nava]
Papas or patatas depending on country, yes. But why should we have only one name for something as essential as tortilla de patatas? It’s both a first dish and a tapa! It can even be a whole meal, cos it has potato and egg and may have onion. It’s, it’s… _important!_ Important stuff gets more than one name 🙂
So we also call it tortilla española… but when I see Spanish omelette on a menu in Anglo countries, it’s not potato omelette, it’s veggies omelette. Which is Juliana in Spain.
Tortilla (a la) francesa is the one that’s only got egg. Apparently them French didn’t have budget for 'tatoes 😉
[/QUOTE]
Tapa=snack?
FWIW, spanish peanuts are the only peanuts I like. They are a different flavor and oilier. (Is that a word?)
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/117 "2007-06-04T19:55:03Z")
[QUOTE=Lisa Ann]
Tapa=snack?
[/QUOTE]
Tapas are small dishes. Usually, you order a lot of them at once, so it’s not really like a snack. I believe they originally started as cocktail-type munchies.
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### Author:  [@Ea\_calendula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ea_calendula)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/118 "2007-06-04T20:05:22Z")
[QUOTE=Einmon]
…
Round donut type things are called “Berliner”, in Berlin they are called “Pfannkuchen”.
…
[/QUOTE]
And in Denmark, they are called “Berlinerpfannkuchen” 😃
I’m not kidding.
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### Author:  [@Ea\_calendula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ea_calendula)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/119 "2007-06-04T20:20:56Z")
[QUOTE=dangermom]
Danish people call Danishes _wienerbrød_–Vienna bread.
[/QUOTE]
According to Wikipedia, in Vieanna it’s called _Kopenhagener Gebäck_ or _Dänischer Plunder_. AFAIK, this type of cake has its origins in _croissants_. A Copenhagen based baker (in the 19th century), who’d worked in Vienna, took the recipe home with him him and added a sweet filling, like jam or custard, because his costumers preferred that to plain croissants.
And we still do 🆒
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### Author:  [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)
#### Post date: [June 4, 2007, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-they-call-french-toast-in-france-similar-questions/406300/120 "2007-06-04T20:26:47Z")
[QUOTE=acsenray]
Tapas are small dishes. Usually, you order a lot of them at once, so it’s not really like a snack. I believe they originally started as cocktail-type munchies.
[/QUOTE]
I think the reason for the existence of tapas is because many Spaniards eat their dinner at a very late hour, especially when dining out. So tapas fills the gap between lunch and this main meal.
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