Simply Toast

I was shopping last week at a new store in a near by suburb and came across some bread that I loved the looks of. I came home and started taking some photos. I love interesting breads that have texture and different seeds and grains adorning their crust.

Playing with this bread on set made me want toast. What is it about toast? I don’t eat it everyday but when I see a nice piece of bread I think it must be toasted. Then I can lather on some fresh cream salted butter and maybe some jam or peanut butter. Warm butter melting on hot toasted bread. Simple pleasure.

Definition of toast. Bread that has been browned by exposure to radiant heat. This browning reaction is known as the Maillard (mah-yar) reaction. I remember this from my food science classes so long ago. It is a non-enzymatic browning similar to that of carmelization. It results from the chemical reaction between an amino acid and a reducing sugar usually requiring heat. 

Who knew toast could be so scientific, right?