N.S. town has an egg factory and a bread bakery, so why not a french toast festival?
Amherst boasts an egg factory, a bread plant and is surrounded by maple trees
When life gives you an egg factory, a bread plant and forests full of maple trees, the town of Amherst, N.S., says make breakfast.
"What do you do when you have all that? You put it all together and you've got french toast," Rebecca Taylor, the town's business development officer, told CBC Radio's Mainstreet.
Amherst kicks off its first French Toast Fest on Thursday. The event runs until April 4.
Taylor said the idea of bringing together local egg factory Maritime Pride, the Weston Bakeries plant and a syrup producer for a festival celebrating french toast came over lunch with local entrepreneur Deanne Fitzpatrick, who owns a rug hooking studio.
"We said, 'Yeah, that sounds like Amherst, let's run with it,'" said Taylor.
Taylor said seven of the town's restaurants will be offering plenty of options including chocolate-peanut-butter-stuffed french toast, grilled cheese french toast, vegan french toast and bruschetta french toast.
A single maple syrup producer, Hidden Mountain Maple Farms from nearby Springhill, N.S., will provide syrup to all the restaurants that are participating.
Taylor said you won't find artificial syrups at the festival.
"It has to be maple syrup. You can't use artificial syrup. No matter what, whether it's savoury or sweet, you put maple syrup on it, it's amazing," said Taylor.
On Saturday, there will be a sugar on snow event downtown and french toast cooking lessons.
With files from CBC Radio's Mainstreet