Toast (food)

For other uses, see Toast (food) (disambiguation).

A slice of bread, contrasting untoasted and toasted.

Toast is bread that has been browned by exposure to dry heat. This browning reaction is known as the Maillard reaction. Toasting warms the bread and makes it firmer, so that it holds toppings more securely. Toasting is also a common method of making stale bread more palatable.

Toasting methods

A classic two-slot electric toaster

In a modern kitchen, the usual method of toasting bread is by the use of a toaster, an electrical appliance made for that purpose. To use a modern toaster, sliced bread is placed into the narrow slots on the top of the toaster, the toaster is tuned to the correct setting (some may have more elaborate settings than others) and a lever on the side is pushed down. The toast is ready when the lever pops up along with the toast. If the bread is insufficiently toasted, the lever can be pressed down again. One of the first home toasting appliances that was available would only toast one side of the bread at a time, so the bread had to be flipped over half way through.

Bread can also be toasted under a grill (US: broiler), in an open oven, or lying on an oven rack. Toaster ovens are special small appliances made for toasting bread or for heating small amounts of other foods. Bread can also be toasted by holding it near but not directly over an open flame, such as a campfire or fireplace; special toasting utensils (e.g. toasting forks) are made for this purpose. Toast is also common as a comfort food, or as a baby's first solid food.

Toast is made using slices of bread and hence many brands of ready-sliced bread have become available, some specifically marketing their suitability for toasting.

Consumption

Two slices of toast on a plate with a butter knife

Toast is most commonly eaten with butter or margarine spread over it, and may be served with preserves, spreads or other toppings in addition to or instead of butter. Toast and jam or marmalade are popular in Britain. A few other condiments that can be enjoyed with toast are jam, peanut butter, Vegemite spread, mayonnaise, and cream cheese. Due to the dryness and neutrality of toast, most food products that are high-fat or high-flavor are compatible with it. Toast is sometimes used instead of fresh bread for making sandwiches.

Toast is an important component of many breakfasts, and is also important in some traditional bland specialty diets for people with gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea.

Bread can also be cubed before being toasted and sometimes after being coated with seasonings. These toasted cubes are called croutons, and are often added to salads, soups, and other dishes.

In the United Kingdom, a breakfast tradition is "egg with toast soldiers". Strips of toast (the "soldiers") are dipped into the runny yolk of a boiled egg through a hole made in the top of the eggshell, and eaten. The "soldiers" must be cut fairly thin to be able to fit through the hole.

Popular culture

Toast can also be used as a reference to the heightened sexual appeal of a person. A clear example of this would be as follows:

The expression, "I wouldn't kick her out of bed for eating toast" is used to indicate a person one would like to sleep with, even if that person left crumbs in the sheets.

See also

• French Toast
• Fried bread
• Kaya toast
• Melba toast
• Milk toast
• Texas toast
• Toast rack

External links

• 335 Ways To Enjoy Toast (MrBreakfast.com)