This is the local version of French toast, made with stale French bread. Pain perdu got its start as a way of using up leftover bread. We like it so much that we buy extra French bread and set it on the kitchen counter to get stale so we can make pain perdu, or sometimes bread pudding.

If you live outside New Orleans and can't get our local French bread, substitute your own locally available French or Italian bread. Don't use sourdough. Let the butter and oil get sizzling hot in the skillet before adding the soaked slices. Keep the fried slices warm in a 200 degree F oven while you finish cooking the rest.

In a large bowl combine the milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Soak the slices of stale French bread in the mixture for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a heavy skillet and add the oil. When the butter and oil mixture is very hot, fry the soaked bread slices one or two at a time on each side, until golden brown. Sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar mixture just before serving. Serve with Louisiana cane syrup or pancake syrup. Serves 4.