Toast (food)
Browned sliced bread, often eaten with spreads or toppings.
Toast is sliced bread that has been browned by radiant heat, a process that alters its flavor and texture through the Maillard reaction. It is a common food item, often eaten for breakfast or used as a base for various toppings, and has a history dating back to at least the 15th century.
- type
- Food
- first_reference_in_print
- 1430
- key_process
- Maillard reaction
- minimum_toasting_temperature
- 155 °C (310 °F)
- common_toppings
- Butter, margarine, jam, marmalade, peanut butter
- associated_health_concern
- Acrylamide (suspected carcinogen, not proven)
Lore & Background
The word toast comes from Latin torrere 'to burn'. One of the first references to toast in print is in a recipe for Oyle Soppys from 1430. Toasting was likely first used to increase the edibility of bread that had become slightly stale. In the 1400s and 1500s, toast was discarded or eaten after it was used as a flavoring for drinks. In the 1600s toast was still thought of as something to be put into drinks, as referenced in William Shakespeare's play The Merry Wives of Windsor (1602). Toast has been used as an element of American haute cuisine since at least the 1850s.
Reader's Guide
Toast is significant as a versatile food that transforms stale bread into a palatable item with a firm surface suitable for spreads. Its preparation relies on the Maillard reaction, which occurs above 155 °C, and it is commonly made using a toaster, toaster oven, grill, or open flame. Toast is a staple breakfast food in many cultures, such as in the United Kingdom where it is part of a traditional breakfast, and in Japan where it became a staple after World War II. It also appears in regional specialties like Korean street toast and avocado toast, which became a symbol of millennial culture. Nutritionally, toasting reduces certain nutrients like thiamine and lysine but increases dietary fiber concentration. The browning process produces acrylamide, a suspected carcinogen, though studies as of 2019 suggested it is unlikely to increase cancer risk. Toast has also entered cultural idioms, such as 'to toast someone's health' and the slang 'you're toast,' popularized by the film Ghostbusters (1984).
Did You Know?
- The word toast comes from Latin torrere 'to burn'.
- One of the first references to toast in print is in a recipe from 1430.
- Toast may contain acrylamide, a suspected carcinogen, but claims that it causes cancer have not been proven.
- The slang 'you're toast' was first used in the film Ghostbusters (1984).
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