Recipes: Season Marietta’s brioche French toast and small-batch chai

This week we’re sharing two recipes from Season Marietta: a small-batch chai and brioche French toast.

The petite Marietta breakfast and brunch restaurant just finished a strong first year in business on Lemon Street, thanks to Chef Nick Jennings taking morning staples like biscuit sandwiches, and pancakes to the next level. There’s often a waiting list to get into Season, especially on the weekends, because the restaurant only seats around 25 people.

While all of the ingredients for both recipes can be purchased at a regular grocery store, a specialty shop or market may yield better results, including for dairy options, spices, and fresh brioche.

“We create our chai with all fresh ingredients, from the ginger to the lemon zest, star anise and nutmeg. It all makes this beverage special,” Jennings said. “Add some of our amazing cold brew to the chai to make it dirty and all of a sudden you have what I tell everyone is the best thing on our menu. Try it with the French toast as a pairing, you won’t be disappointed.”

Jennings prefers sourcing brioche for Season from Bernhard’s German Bakery and Deli in Marietta, but feel free to use brioche from your favorite bakery. If you’re unable to find brioche, try eggy, slightly sweet breads like challah, potato bread, or Japanese-style milk bread for the French toast. Plain bread won’t yield the desired restaurant-caliber French toast results.

More recipes from the Rough Draft archives

Chai

Yields 2 to 3 cups

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups water
• 2 1/2 tsp loose black tea (vanilla/cinnamon/allspice blend, if you can)
• 2 to 3 whole peppercorns
• 2 thin slices fresh ginger
• 1/3 of a cinnamon stick (or just break one into a chunk)
• 2 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 whole star anise
• 2 to 3 whole cloves

Optional for sweetness after steeping:

• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• Homemade brown sugar syrup

Directions

1. Bring water to a boil. Add tea and all spices. Let steep for 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Strain out the tea and spices. Stir in vanilla extract and brown sugar to sweeten the entire batch. (You may also leave the batch unsweetened, use brown sugar syrup in each cup.)
3. Serve hot or iced, with optional cold brew to make it dirty chai.

French toast

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk or half-and-half
• 3 large eggs
• 6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) butter
• 1 Tbsp white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 12 thick slices of brioche

Directions

1. Whisk flour, spices, sugar, and milk in a large bowl until smooth and homogeneous.
2. Beat eggs and vanilla together. Combine with other ingredients, mixing well.
3. Place a lightly oiled skillet or griddle over medium-low heat.
4. Dip bread slices in the batter until coated and soaked.
5. Add 1 Tbsp of butter to the pan and melt.
6. Cook bread in the pan until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining butter and brioche slices.
7. Serve warm with syrup, powdered sugar, or your favorite toppings.