Joy the Baker

Let’s explore TOAST!!!

Toast feels all at once completely childish and utterly adult.

Toast was the first thing I learned how to make for myself in the kitchen.  Actually… false.  I first learned how to teeter on our old kitchen stool to reach for the box of Cinnamon Life cereal, dig for milk in the fridge, find the canister of brown sugar in the bottom left shelf, and slap it all together in a bowl.

Toast was the second thing I learned how to make.  Toast with cinnamon and sugar.  Toast with peanut butter and jelly.  Toast with butter and relish when I was feeling strange.  In my kid-brain of chores, allowance, homework, be-nice-to-your-sister, and no-singing-at-the-dinner-table… a piece of dry toast felt like something I could control and explore.

When I eat toast as an adult, I always think back to my kid-brain.  Toasted bread is a blank slate.  I can pile it high with sardines and lemon juice, and stand in my kitchen trying to convince my cat that I’m eating people food… not cat food.  Sure, I know how to roast a chicken, make a salad, and drink wine out of a proper glass, but sometimes it’s just nice to eat toasted bread, topped with whatever I dang please, and drink wine out of a mason jar.  I’m grown.   Thank heavens toast can be dinner.

We’re exploring toast this week.  Let’s get into this blank slate.  Let’s smash avocados, and mix our own cinnamon sugar.  There might also be Nutella and sprinkles.  It’s a week full of toast.  Get into it!

Today we’re talking about baguette toast.  I like baguettes that are gnarly-crunchy on the outside and tender and light in the center.  I cut this baguette into quarters, drizzled each piece lightly with olive oil and toasted them under the broiler.  Then… game on!

Salted Butter and Radish toast is crunchy, salty, spicy, and divine.  It’s so simple!

There’s a trick when it comes to simple toast:  quality ingredients.  When there are so few ingredients, it’s nice to use the good stuff.  Fancy salted butter and grey sea salt are some of my favorite ways to treat myself… that’s weird and true.

I also dug a bottle of Profumo del Chianti out of the spice rack for this toast.  It’s a super finely ground Italian spice and salt mixture.  It’s pretty major.

Toast with two ingredients.

Sliced Ham and Salted Butter is simple and satisfying.  Also, if you’re wondering… yes, butter is good on everything.

If you’re thinking of adding tomato slices of mustard there’s really no need.  Let this toast live in its simplicity.

Toast without butter.  Toast with garlic.

This Herb and Garlic-Rubbed Toast isn’t as in-your-face as traditional garlic bread.  It’s more refined.  Fresh garlic is sliced in half and rubbed on the toasted baguette.  Salt and pepper are added, along with freshly chopped parsley.

I’d pair this toast with a major (though classy) amount of red wine.

This is one of the divine toasts of all time.  Oooh Smashed Avocado Toast with Lemon.  This toast tastes is creamy and indulgent.  Stack and smash the avocado as high as possible.  Lemon and salt are bright essentials.  It’s California on bread.

Soften your butter and take out your fancy salt.  It’s toast time!!

xo joy