Pain Perdu means "lost bread." In New Orleans it refers to the bread that would be thrown away, or lost. New Orleans French bread has a light crispy crust and a soft airy interior, making it perfect for pain perdu. But baguettes, brioche, challah and Italian bread work, too--you just have to make sure the bread is very dry (pre-toasting it in the oven if necessary) so it absorbs as much of the custard as possible. It's traditionally served with a simple sprinkling of confectioner's sugar, but this time I made it with a sauce of bananas browned in butter with brown sugar and pecans--a play on Bananas Foster, a dessert made popular by Brennan's in New Orleans. - drbabs

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