My boyfriend and I were having a conversation the other day about taking things a day at a time. I had just finished “The West Wing” and (SPOILER) I was struck by the last episode of the last season of the show, when Martin Sheen’s character (a.k.a. The President) was flying home on Air Force One to start a new life in New Hampshire after his last term.

His wife asked him what he was thinking about as he stared out the window and he turned to her and said, “Tomorrow.” I repeated the line to my boyfriend and he said that I could apply it to my own life, as I’ve had some anxiety about big changes including starting a new job.

“I already have tomorrow planned,” I said to him.

“Yeah?” he replied.

“Yes,” I said. “You’re going to make me French toast for breakfast.”

I’m not sure if this was what President Bartlett had in mind when he was staring out the window of Air Force One, but for me, most plans involve food. It’s one of the first things I think about in the morning and the last things I think about at night.

Also, it sounds a little presumptuous that I’d assume my boyfriend would make me French toast, but I had a feeling that he would be generous enough to do it.

I was right. Sunday morning he made me French toast with leftover sesame bread that he bought on Friday when I said I could eat peanut butter sandwiches for the next three days. He cracked an egg, mixed it with some milk and ground cinnamon, and then put slices of sesame bread in the batter to soak. Then he fried the slices on both sides in some butter.

I came up with the idea of putting banana slices on top because I love the combination of French toast, maple syrup, and banana. If you use slightly underripe bananas, it will balance the sweetness of the dish and add more flavor. Plus, bananas pair well with cinnamon.

I’m going to include a basic recipe for the French toast below, but feel free to tweak it and make it your own. It’s a rough guide because when my boyfriend and I make French toast, it involves improvisation. I like to add a little sugar to the batter sometimes but you may want to omit that.

Whatever you do, though, don’t omit the ground cinnamon. It adds depth to the dish and flavor to the custard. If you’re feeling adventurous, you could also add a pinch of ground nutmeg or cardamom.

Here’s a song to get you started on your French toast journey. It just came out this week. I love Yumi Zouma.

Impromptu French Toast

Ingredients

1/2 loaf sesame bread (or whatever you have handy)
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, whisked
pinch of ground cinnamon
butter for frying
banana slices and maple syrup for serving

Directions

Take a long and shallow cake pan and whisk an egg, milk, and ground cinnamon in it. Line up the slices of bread side-by-side (not overlapping) so they absorb the custard. Turn them over carefully to make sure they’re soaked all the way through. Be careful not to break the bread.

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the bread and fry each side until golden brown. Serve with banana slices and the best maple syrup you can find. Enjoy!