Nothing Wasted: French Toast with Mascarpone and Rescued Raspberry

Some dishes tell a story. Our French toast with mascarpone cream and raspberry spread is one of them – a plate where, from the bread to the fruit, nothing is wasted. New on our menu, and for us much more than just a sweet breakfast.

French toast: turning day-old bread into a treat

French toast has a humble origin. At its core, it's the art of giving day-old bread a second life. Soaked in egg and milk and gently fried in the pan, yesterday's bread becomes something golden, warm and fragrant.

It's no accident that the dish is called "pain perdu" in French – "lost bread" that is saved. In Austria you'll find similar versions known as "Arme Ritter" or "Pofesen". What once grew out of thriftiness is today a small breakfast luxury – and at heart still the same lovely idea: don't throw away what's too good to throw away.

The mascarpone cream

Onto the warm toast we add a light mascarpone cream – mild, creamy and not too sweet. It's the soft counterpart to the slightly crisp bread: an interplay of textures that gives breakfast a festive touch without being heavy.

Mascarpone brings calm to the plate. It lets the fruit shine rather than covering it up – and that's exactly where the raspberry comes in.

Unverschwendet: good from rescued

The raspberry on our French toast comes from Unverschwendet, a Viennese company with a clear stance: "Wir retten wertvolle Lebensmittel und machen daraus köstliche Feinkost" (we rescue valuable food and make delicious fine food from it). From surplus fruit and vegetables that would otherwise be wasted, they make spreads, syrups and more.

Their motto sums it up: "Gutes aus Gerettetem" – good from rescued. You'll find them at Viennese markets like the Naschmarkt and the Schwendermarkt. Their fine raspberry fruit spread brings a bright, fruity note to the plate – from raspberries that got a second chance.

The backdrop is a serious one: a large share of the food produced worldwide is never eaten. Unverschwendet steps in exactly there – with harvest surpluses, with crooked vegetables, with fruit that finds no place on the shelf. What is waste for some becomes fine food here. And you can taste that idea on the plate.

Why it all fits together so well

It's no coincidence that these three come together. The French toast rescues the bread – for us, Felzl bread from the day before. Unverschwendet rescues the fruit. And both fit the way we think about a good morning: honest, uncomplicated, with respect for what ends up on the plate.

In a city like Vienna, where the Naschmarkt is just around the corner from our neighbourhood, that feels especially fitting. A breakfast that tastes good – and, along the way, does a small thing right.

Best enjoyed with a coffee

French toast tastes best taken slowly – with a coffee beside it. A Melange goes beautifully with the sweet fruit, while a flat white sets a stronger counterpoint. Which one is right is purely a matter of taste; you can read more about good coffee in our piece on specialty coffee in Vienna.

That's how a plate becomes a small moment: warm bread, cool cream, fruity raspberry and a good cup. For us, that is exactly what a slow morning is.

New at our place

You'll soon find the French toast with mascarpone and rescued raspberry with us in the 4th district. What else is on the menu, you'll see on our menu. And if you're planning a whole morning in our neighbourhood, our guide to Wieden will help.