Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Toast!

Toast seems to be more popular in the UK than here in the US. I remember Saturday lunches when I was growing up, or any lunches when I was at uni., would often be something on toast. Baked beans on toast. Poached egg on toast. Sardines on toast. Cheese on toast. This song about toast even did quite well in the charts!



My DH turns his nose up at 'something on toast' as a meal, as do the children. It was a nice quick, and cheap lunch and I still enjoy it from time to time - though usually when I'm on my own!

Still, I was never so cheap as to make a toast sandwich - something Mrs Beeton apparently included in her famous cookbook! I'm not quite sure why the Royal Society of Chemistry decided to revive the toast sandwich and tout it as the UK's cheapest meal.  A slice of toast between two slices of bread - never mind if it's cheap, it hardly sounds nutritious, does it? If I'm going to have an unhealthy meal of carbs with my carbs, a chip butty or a crisp sarnie (or maybe even a conny onny sarnie) would be much more to my taste!


(Sheffield United anthem - "You fill up my senses like . . . a greasy chip butty")

9 comments:

Rob said...

Can't beat beans on toast. My sister in law is now a convert, but alas the wife still refuses to embrace the simple delight of toast.

American in Bath said...

I also wondered why the chemists were so interested in the toast sandwhich. It seems a recipe devoid of chemistry. And you're completely right, Americans do not get the British fixation with toast, particularly cold toast. And here I am, six years in England, and man do I love toast. Maybe the English are just better at it.

Unknown said...

I have also noticed this, Americans just don't have 'stuff on toast' much! Although the Hubster eats buttered toast and drinks Twinings, so I am having some influence.

Stella Jones said...

Don't forget the Welsh rarebit! Delicious. I agree with what you say, but I still eat a lot of toast with or without things on it.

Expat mum said...

My little guy loves beans on toast and scrambled egg on toast so my work is done! The older two just don't get it, and my husbands words about something like spaghetti hoops on toast is, as you say, "Why would you eat carbs piled on top of carbs?"
Mind you I think Americans put some strange things in sandwiches. Take the Sloppy Joe for instance. That's almost spag bol in a sandwich isn't it?

Almost American said...

I think Welsh rarebit (and a cup of tea) was the first thing we 'learned' to make in cookery class!

Spaghetti hoops (or 'geppy oops' as they were known in my family) on toast - I'd forgotten about those!

Camilla said...

Hi,

Cam here from Manifest on behalf of the fabulous notonthehighstreet.com, the home to thousands of unique gift ideas from small creative businesses. I hope you're well? First off I just wanted to say I love the blog. Your recent post ‘Toast!’ is brilliant, I was definitely guilty of putting everything I could find on toast when I was at University!

I was hoping to get an email address from you as I really want to get in touch about some exciting news for expats this Christmas. I hope that's OK?

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Cam

Well That's a Good Scottish Name... said...

This is amusing because I find the English to LOVE toast. When I was in the hospital after having my baby, the offering was toast and tea! Of course I wanted something more hearty (i.e. a bacon and egg sandwich) but alas, it was not possible.

Matthew Brannigan said...

My favorite is cheese on toast, but the toast has to be lightly spread with Marmite before putting the cheese on and putting it in the toaster oven to cook. My wife will not have it this way, she likes her 'cheese toastie' which involves the cheese being between two bread slices (definitely no marmite), liberally buttered on the outside and then toasted both sides in a frying pan till golden on the outside and gooey on the inside.

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