Something truly magical happens when you apply heat to bread. The chewy, savoury, dense texture is gently transformed into something crisp, crunchy and robust that cries out for a generous spread of butter, a big dollop of jam or silky scrambled eggs. Toast is often taken for granted, so we thought it was high time to celebrate this humble, simple thing that manages to find its way into our breakfasts, lunches and dinners, as well as making the perfect snack in between.
From the Latin ‘tostum’ meaning ‘to burn’, toast first came about as a way of making stale bread go further. Today it is a household staple, and you’d be hard pushed to find a toaster-less home anywhere in the UK. This is because the possibilities with toast really are endless. Go beyond the typical toppings of jam, Marmite, beans or butter and you’ll find a treasure trove of ingredients perfect for spreading. Radishes with anchovy and herb butter. Truffle rarebit with Parma ham. Scrambled eggs with mushrooms. Peas on toast with mint and mozzarella… we really could go on forever.
Whilst a simple slice of really good bread toasted and liberally spread with butter is sometimes all you need, if you prefer something more substantial then take a look at our five favourite toppings for the toast connoisseur.
