Happy spring straddlers, and welcome to the toast post! Since yesterday was the first day of Spring, I almost felt obligated to make this one of those posts where I only talk about seasonally appropriate things and what spring activities I’m looking forward to. BUT it’s still cold and the Northeastern US has not yet gotten the memo about the season change so…. toast! Toast is, in my opinion, the perfect meal and more than worthy of an entire blog post devoted to its glory. So versatile. So portable (not to mention an ideal condiment vehicle). So delicious. The inspiration for this ode to toast was a perfect loaf of bread. Last week my work sent me to Coney Island on a mission to procure some sour cherries from the Russian Bazaar. Alas, sour cherries were not in season. Shoulda known. Instead I ate pierogies, and maybe some pickled herring, from the buffet and marveled at all the pretty grainy breads displayed before my hungry eyes. I saw something called a Lithuanian loaf. It was nearly black, heavier than rocks and packed with sunflower seeds. I knew then what I had to do. I purchased the black beauty and took it home for toast experimentation. When it comes to the toast itself, I like my breads dense and grainy. When it comes to the toppings, I like em’ weird. Here are a few glorified toast non-recipes that will surely make you reach for something other than cream cheese or butter (but those are good too).
Sriracha Almond Butter Toast
This is my absolute favorite toast situation and flavor combination and I have mentioned it before. Simply slather some almond butter (any nut butter really) on a good piece of toast. Drizzle with hot sauce of your choice (I have since experimented with gochujang and piri piri – both good). Sprinkle with chopped scallions, cilantro and coconut flakes.
A Non Pretentious Avocado Toast
Avocado toast is like a thing now. It’s couture toast and cafes in New York like to charge 10 bucks for it. Don’t buy theirs. Make your own. Mash avocado on some toast, top with a soft boiled egg and quick pickled onions (sliced thin and soaked in red wine vinegar for like 15 minutes). Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and sea salt.
Cannoli Toast
I call this cannoli toast because the topping tastes like a cannoli filing and it’s oh so yummy. Weirdly I don’t like cannolis but love this toast. I mix 1/2 cup ricotta with 1 teaspoon almond extract and some orange zest and spread on toast. Top with chopped pistachios, honey, and sea salt.
Other things I like to put on toast:
- bananas + almond butter + honey + sea salt
- ricotta + honey + thyme + maldón salt
- mashed avocado + squeeze o’ lime + sesame seeds/hemp seeds
- butter + white miso + avocado slices
- vegemite + melted cheese + sliced cucumber
MORE LINKS FOR TOAST!
Kaya Toast (BEST THING EVER)
Boiled Egg, Seared Asparagus, and Pickled Onion Sandwich (technically not toast but it could be and it’s pretty!)
Scandi Toast (aka chic toast)
Maple Cinnamon Toast (simple toast, revolutionary idea)
Avocado Coconut Oil Tartine (aka – aloha toast)
Wanna make your own bread? HERE YA GO!
Sally Lunn Bread
Big Sur Bakery Hide Bread
Tahini Beetroot Black Bread
Crusty No-Knead Bread with Toasted Grains
Happy toasting!
xx
Header by Rory Midhani
YUM THANK YOU
Does anyone remember Johnny Appleseed toast? It’s bread with butter, apple slices, and cinnamon, which is put in the toaster oven (or regular oven) to get all melty and crispy and warm. My childhood.
I’ve never tried that but it sounds so delicious and amazing! Probably going to make it this weekend, either that or cinnamon toast.
I recently gave up processed carbohydrate which, until I read this, was awesome. I need that avocado egg magic. I’m going to have to find a non toast way. Open to suggestions.
I’m a fan of the whole baking an egg inside the avocado thing! Cut the avo in half and scoop out the flesh with a big spoon, keeping it intact. Rub the half with olive oil all over and then put it back in the skin. Crack an egg in the middle and bake for 10 min at 375! Then you can just top it like I did the toast. :)
Winner! I will be giving that a whirl this weekend :) Thanks.
Isn’t it possible to make some sort of crostini out of cauliflower? These are things I know very little about, but just a thought! :)
Toast! Perfect “recipes” for the hungry grad student.
Damn, I really need to up my toast game. Thanks for this!
This post was really confusing on my phone, because the top photo looked like some kind of weird pita, and the cannoli one looked like there were tiny pieces of toast on top of a giant piece of toast.
I would ideally find a way to make giant toast with baby toast topping.
this is one of my favorite things that’s ever been published on the internet anywhere
I saw the headline and was kinda like “eh, toast, I am not excited about this”
But then I saw that avocado toast and I was like OH, NOW I GET IT
This is possibly the most inventive toast ever. There should probably be a toast MacArthur Genius Grant in there for you somewhere.
Quick pickled onions! Genius.
I didn’t know gourmet toast was a thing and now feel like my almond butter/honey/cinnamon toast is childs play.
The avocado one (especially w/the quick pickled red onions and crushed red pepper!) makes me swoon. With no egg and gf toast :)
Beautiful photos and great ideas!
Oh, this is where this goes: http://youtu.be/NoVbnv01Qek
I want the cannoli toast and maple cinnamon toast in my mouth nowwwwwwwwww.
Toast is also the best medium for CHEESE. CHEEEEEEESE.
I just bought a shaker for cinnamon sugar to make cinnamon toast today! Clearly our minds are on the same toast-length.
I just made the nut butter/sriracha toast situation. SO DELISH! Thank you. :)