Jane Austen's Favorite 5-Ingredient Snack Is Also Mine—It's So Delicious
Martha Lloyd, who spent years living with Austen, documented a recipe in her household book, detailing one of Austen’s favorite meals. It calls for five ingredients, two of which surprised me.
Go to a pub in London, and you’ll probably find a cheese toastie on the menu. If you’re picturing an American-style grilled cheese sandwich, imagine cheesy toast instead: melty or broiled cheese over a buttery slice of toast.
Cheese toasties have been a British staple for centuries. In fact, in the 18th Century, Jane Austen, the beloved author of my favorite book ever (Pride and Prejudice, duh), loved her cheese toasties. However, Austen’s cheese toastie includes two surprising ingredients: egg and mustard.
Jane Austen’s Favorite Meal and Snack
Martha Lloyd, who spent years living with Austen, documented a recipe in her household book, detailing one of Austen’s favorite meals: “Grate the Cheese & add to it one egg, & a teaspoonful of Mustard, & a little Butter…Send it up on a toast or in paper Trays…”
With this “recipe” in hand, I knew I had to recreate Austen’s favorite cheese toastie at home. Making it for my husband and myself for lunch, I imagined this dish was what Elizabeth Bennet would have her servants make for Mr. Darcy as a snack.
Once out of my toaster, Austen’s cheese toasties were exquisite. A melty, cheesy custard topping slightly jiggled atop two slices of buttery toast. Thanks to the mustard, the cheese tasted extra savory and beautifully aged.
With each bite, melty, creamy, flavorful cheese mingled with traces of runny yolk. This intense creaminess was paired with crispy, crunchy, buttery toast. (Maybe I should channel my inner Austen and go back to writing rom-coms instead of about food!) My husband raved about the cheese toastie and wanted seconds, as did I. So I made another batch and turned the cheese toasties into grilled cheese sandwiches.
How To Make My Version of Jane Austen’s Cheese Toastie
To make Austen’s favorite cheese toastie, first, butter both sides of two slices of bread. As for what type of bread to use, my pain du jour is sourdough, but use your favorite loaf. Crack a large egg into a medium bowl.
Mix in a teaspoonful of mustard (I used Gray Poupon Dijon mustard, though in hindsight, honey mustard would have been even better), a teaspoon of softened unsalted butter, and a heaping one-half cup of shredded Cheddar cheese. Season with a little salt and pepper and stir until combined. Then, spoon the mixture evenly over the two slices of bread.
Using an air fryer, toaster, or oven, toast the bread until the cheese melts and the mixture turns custardy, like a soft omelet, and the bread is crispy, just a few minutes. I did not want to overcook the egg in the cheese mixture because I'm a sucker for a runny yolk. Alternatively, pan-fry or grill the toast in a buttered skillet or frying pan. Just be sure to cover the skillet or pan with a lid to help the cheese melt.
I made two versions of Austen’s favorite cheese toastie. I topped the one I made in the skillet with another slice of buttered, toasted bread to make a grilled cheese sandwich. The other I kept open-faced. The open-faced toastie is a great quick snack, and the grilled cheese sandwich works better as a full meal.
Tips That Make Jane Austen’s Cheese Toastie Even Better
I experimented with Austen’s cheese toastie and sprinkled it with a dusting of paprika and furikake. If you don’t have furikake, you can sprinkle minced chives or scallions over the cheesy custard instead.
If you’re into spicy food, you can top the cheese toastie with chopped kimchi. The kimchi will give the toastie a nice kick and added crunch. Alternatively, drizzle hot honey over the cheese toastie for some heat and a balancing sweetness.
Given Austen’s great taste in food, had she lived longer than her short 41 years on this earth, perhaps we’d have classic cookbooks by the author as well to cook along to while rewatching Emma and the 1995 BBC version of Pride and Prejudice on repeat.
