Growing up, one of our favorite breakfasts my mom made was called a Frog in a Hole. It was the best of both worlds-crispy buttered toast and a soft fried egg. My favorite part of course was the toasted round piece of bread. I would always dip it into the egg yolk first.
When I got older, I continued cooking this for myself. Eventually I cooked it for my children as well. I always called it a “Frog in a Hole.” I honestly never knew it had any other name until I went to college. I also never heard anyone outside of my family call it that. I remember several times I would say what I was making and have others ask, “what are you making”, or “what did you call it?” My favorite response from others would be “you mean egg in a basket or hen in a basket?” I would just say no, Frog in a Hole as I rolled my eyes, because that’s what I grew up calling it. I know it’s ok to name things differently and not ok to force others to call it the same. But in my house, it’s known as Frog in a Hole.
Fast forward to many years later as I was reading through a recipe book that featured each distinct area here in the United States, I was surprised to find in the section on Louisiana, a recipe for Frog in a Hole. I showed my mom in awe and laughed at how it all made sense. She was raised between Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Port Gibson, Mississippi, so of course, her Cajun roots are strong when it comes to that recipe name. But it goes even further, because in England it is often referred to as a “Toad in a Hole.” Did you know in my further digging I found an article that said there were at least 66 other names for the same delicious breakfast item? It’s pretty neat seeing how my childhood breakfast item can be called so many different things. But understand in our home it will always be a “Frog in a Hole.”
Frog in a Hole
Equipment
- 1 egg pan
- 1 cookie cutter round shape
Ingredients
- 1 lg egg
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 slice bread of choice
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
Instructions
- Use a round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter to cut a round circle in the middle of a slice of bread. If you don't have a cookie or biscuit cutter you can use a small cup. Heat your egg pan with a little or your butter. (Butter makes it taste better! So don't skip and use spray.) Place round circle into the pan and toast on both sides. After the circle is toasted and set aside, melt a little more butter and set slice of bread with hole in pan. Crack egg into the hole and continue cooking until all of the egg white is fully cooked. Flipping the whole egg and toast over to cook both sides of bread. If needed add a little more butter to pan before flipping. The bread will soak up the butter and toast nicely while the egg cooks. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the top and Enjoy!
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