Flavour feature: In praise of toast

Toast must be the ultimate comfort food! Picture the scene: outside, the wind is howling and icy raindrops lash against the windows – the cat makes a sodden dash for the cat flap and the warmth and security that lie within the back door. Inside your home, there is a soft glow from a few strategically placed lamps and the crackling fireplace; the aroma of roasting toast fills the kitchen. In just minutes you’ll be savouring a slice of hot toast dripping with lashings of melted butter. If you’re the restrained sort, it is just one slice of wholesome seed-loaf toast to dip into a bowl of the hearty beef-and-veg soup that is simmering on the stovetop. For the rest of us, it is a pile of delicious buttered white toast, perhaps spread with strawberry jam or Nutella. It’s enough to make you long for a really miserable cold front, isn’t it?

REGIONAL DELICIOUSNESS
Wikipedia’s description is a bit of a mouthful: “Toast is bread that has been browned by exposure to radiant heat. This browning is the result of a Maillard reaction, altering the flavor of the bread as well as making it firmer so it holds toppings more securely. Toasting is a common method of making stale bread more palatable. Bread is often toasted using a toaster, an electrical appliance with heating elements.” While that makes toast sound rather dry, the reality is that toast comes in many delicious and indulgent disguises in a wide range of mouthwatering regional cuisines.

Bruschetta This Italian variation uses sliced ciabatta that is grilled until golden and crisp, and then rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil and salt.

Crostini Bruscetta’s little brother, crostini is small oval slices of grilled bread brushed with olive oil and topped with cheeses, veggies or meats.

Croutons Cubed bread sautéed in oil until crispy, croutons can be seasoned with salt and pepper or flavoured with garlic or herbs, sometimes even with finely grated Parmesan cheese.

French toast Here slices of bread are soaked in a mixture of eggs whisked with a dash of milk and then fried on both sides until golden and crispy – also called ‘eggy bread’.

Fried bread A traditional accompaniment to a full English breakfast, white bread is fried on both sides at high temperatures in lard, bacon dripping or oil until crispy.

Melba toast Created by famous French chef Auguste Escoffier for Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba, this is very thinly sliced white bread that is gently toasted under a grill until completely dried out and lightly golden. Usually served with soup or pate.

CUTTING EDGE
Whatever type of toast you’re making, a really good bread knife with a sharp serrated blade that slices cleanly without crushing the crust or mangling the bread is an absolute essential. Our new Le Creuset knives are brilliantly fit for purpose. Choose from beautiful and durable Italian olive-wood handles or ergonomically designed, slip-resistant stainless-steel handles. These blades are made from 64 layers of Damascus steel folded around a VG-10 steel core. They are crafted in Solingen, Germany, and have a Rockwell hardness of 61, so they hold a finely sharp edge. Or go for a bread knife with a 20cm stainless-steel blade and a sleek and contemporary sure-grip, black phenolic handle that is safe and comfortable to hold. Hand-wash in warm, soapy water, and sharpen with the appropriate ceramic or stone sharpeners as needed.

PROPOSE A TOAST
Now we’ve whet your appetite with the idea of plain hot buttered toast, here are some altogether tastier and more elegant ways to enjoy one of life’s simplest pleasures…

Crab Soup with Parsley Croutons
This intensely flavoured soup with the taste of the seaside is perfect for informal dinner parties. It is made from brown and white crab meat, fish stock, shallots, brandy and cream, with delicious homemade parsley croutons providing the perfect crunchy finishing touch. Serve it in gorgeous little mini cocottes for added table appeal.

Mussels, Chorizo and Tomato Ragout on Garlic Toast
This hearty dish is an absolutely perfect midwinter meal served with rustic garlic toast – otherwise known as bruschetta, if you’re feeling Italiano! It is a soupy shellfish stew with smoky chorizo and spicy chilli to enhance the delicate, sweet flavour of the mussels. 

Scrambled Eggs
While good old scrambled eggs may sound a little basic, this one-pan variation that includes smoked salmon strips and chives and is served with roasted vine tomatoes and hot, crispy toast is fit for fine dining. Serve it for a lazy weekend breakfast, a festive brunch or an easy Sunday-night supper!

Maple Glazed Bacon and French Toast
You have to hand it to the Americans: they took a French classic and raised the bar with this brilliant breakfast combination of sweet and savoury. In this recipe we use sourdough bread for a truly delicious and rather more grown-up variation of a childhood classic, while genuine maple syrup gives it a yummy yet light touch of sweetness. Crispy streaky bacon is irresistible!

Pain Perdu with Buttercream, Pistachio Nuts and Raspberries
This eggy bread is a sweet treat for special occasions. Pain perdu is a somewhat fancy way of saying ‘French toast’! It translates as ‘lost bread’, and was originally developed as a way to use up slightly stale, or ‘lost’, bread. Of course, this light and delicious version uses sliced brioche (or very good white bread) and has a mouthwatering filling of buttercream, crunchy pistachio nuts and fresh raspberries. Mmmmm!

Simple Caesar Salad
Crunchy croutons aren’t just good for hearty winter warmers. Glorious sunshine-filled winter days beg for leafy salads with just a little more heft than usual, like this Caesar salad with egg quarters, crispy bacon and delicious baked wholewheat croutons.

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