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Toasting ... Toast!
The best thing since sliced bread  (Family Features) - The warm, crunchy, golden brown staple on breakfast tables in
more than 90% of American homes is one of life's simplest
pleasures. This humble breakfast hero is also an iconic symbol of
all that's right and good in American life. Toast is the great
leveler, a symbol of democracy: Crunchy toast is enjoyed in
humble homes and at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
America's love of toast has given birth to toaster collections, a
national toaster museum, children's book, songs about toast and
cookbooks full of toast recipes.
One hundred years since the introduction of the first electric
toaster, Americans are faithful to their long-lived love affair
with toast. In fact, a recent survey commissioned by the Grain
Foods Foundation and conducted by Harris Interactive indicates
that more than 93% of respondents say they enjoy toast any time
of day.
How passionate are Americans about toast? Nearly 10% of adults
surveyed confessed they'd rather enjoy their morning toast than,
um, a passionate interlude with their significant other. More
than half of the survey respondents would choose toast over
candy, and nearly 40% over chocolate. That's some serious craving
for toast.
Hum a few bars in the key of "T"
"Americans are passionate about toast!" exults comedian Heywood
Banks. Banks is singing all the way to the bank, having hit solid
gold with his song about toast that he's parlayed into an
animated cartoon (at comedyhome.com). Banks has created a
children's book, t-shirts and music CDs based on the lyrics to
his song "Yeah, Toast!" Toast lovers like Banks are delightfully
quirky — he plays a toaster as a percussion instrument.
Love, craving and science in the kitchen
"There's nothing more satisfying than a piece of perfectly
toasted bread," says Ted Allen, cookbook author and food and wine
consultant for television's popular "Queer Eye for the Straight
Guy." "One of the most comforting, simple moments you can have is
to make yourself a slice of toast. The scent of bread
caramelizing in the toaster is wonderful."
The process that caramelizes toast — cooking the sugars in the
bread and turning them golden brown — is the Maillard reaction,
which gives toast its flavor and its crunch.
So push that lever down, get out your favorite toppings and tap
your toe to the toast dance while waiting (im)patiently for the
tantalizing aroma of caramelizing bread. If that's not true love ...
For more intriguing, fun and delicious information on grain-based
foods like bread and toast, visit www.grainpower.org.
Write down this recipe for ... toast
Chef and toast enthusiast Jesse Ziff Cool has written a tome to
toast. "Toast: 60 Ways to Butter Your Bread & Then Some" includes
toothsome toast recipes, from sweet to savory, for every meal
occasion.
"Toast is still the greatest thing since sliced bread — and
getting better all the time. Toast is the perfect beginning for
an appetizer, sandwich, entrée, snack — even dessert," says Cool,
chef, restaurant owner and cookbook author.
But Cool was not the first to document toast recipes. The White
House cookbook of 1887 contained five entire pages and 21 recipes
devoted to toast.
Winter Breakfast Sandwich With Maple Syrup,Toasted Walnuts and Cream Cheese Serves 4 to 6 2/3 cup (about 3 ounces) coarsely chopped walnuts 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature 3 tablespoons real maple syrup, plus more for garnishing 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 8 bread slices Preheat toaster oven to 350°F. Put walnuts on baking tray and toast 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. In medium bowl, combine cream cheese, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla; stir to blend. Toast bread. Spread one-fourth of cream cheese mixture on each of 4 slices and sprinkle with walnuts. Drizzle with a little maple syrup. Top with a slice of plain toast. For bite-sized tea sandwiches, cut into 2, 4 or 6 pieces. Recipe courtesy of Jesse Ziff Cool, author of "Toast: 60 Ways to Butter Your Bread & Then Some" Mighty toast and nutrition Guilty pleasure? Hardly. "Toast is one of those perfect foods that will never go out of style. Warm, crunchy and golden brown, toast is delicious, affordable, easy to make and a low-fat, low-calorie source of grains," says Judi Adams, MS, RD, president of the Grain Foods Foundation. "With the variety of vitamins and nutrients packed into a slice of bread, it is one of the more nourishing choices for breakfast, or any time of day." Thoroughly modern toast The invention of the electric toaster brought toast into the 20th century. The first U.S. patent for an electric toaster was submitted in 1909 by General Electric. But toast really took off with the wide availability of sliced bread. The first automatic pop-up toaster was invented in 1926. While some may take the humble kitchen workhorse for granted, there are many admirers of the design and functionality of the electric toaster. "Toasters are design marvels that have served a useful function in our homes for the past 100 years," says Eric Norcross, creator and curator of The Toaster Museum Foundation (www.toaster.org). "Vintage toasters are historic artifacts that track our nation's design ideals over the past century."
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1920s Sweetheart Toaster — heart-shaped swinger door to turn toast
1930s Hotpoint Gazelle — art deco design, manually tips toast out of a side panel
1940s four-slice Toastwell — streamlined design
1970s TravlToast, Empire Mfg. — plugs into car's cigarette lighter