Far from just being eggs\u2019 sidekick or a vehicle for butter and jam, toast and grilled breads are popping up on menus everywhere as an exciting platform for flavor in all dayparts.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe toast trend started on the sweet\/breakfast side with several prominent toast-centric concepts,\u201d says retired Gordon Food Service Corporate Consulting Chef Gerry Ludwig, CEC. \u201cBut now we\u2019re seeing an entirely new category of savory toasts and grilled breads, primarily on full-service menus. One thing driving the opportunity is sharable and sharing plates.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of course, \u201cthings on toast\u201d are nothing new. Beans on toast, caviar on toast points, and Welsh rabbit are classics. But gorgeous, reimagined, reinvented artisan toast is breaking new ground in the category.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t dismiss it just because it\u2019s not new, Ludwig advises. Innovative chefs have moved beyond simple avocado slices or mash and are incorporating diverse ingredients that make avocado toast a good fit for lunch, dinner, and snacking menus.<\/p>\n
Examples:<\/em><\/p>\n Use cured meats, p\u00e2tes, shrimp, lobster, crab, and thinly sliced cold- or hot-smoked fish, as well as meat or seafood salads. Seafood toasts, Ludwig notes, are especially popular.<\/p>\n Examples:<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cVegetable toast is the category with the most potential, especially given the continuous rise in veg-centric cuisine,\u201d Ludwig says.<\/p>\n \u201cAt Avant Garden in New York, all the toasts on the dinner menu are veg-based,\u201d Ludwig says. \u201cThey take all the vegetables used in kitchen to create flavorful and eye-popping toasts based on some sort of vegetable stew or pur\u00e9e.\u201d<\/p>\n Examples:\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n The sweet spot for indulgent artisan breakfast toasts\u2014from simple to elaborate\u2014endures.<\/p>\n Examples:<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cToasts are not complicated formulas, they\u2019re more of an assembly of ingredients,\u201d Ludwig says. \u201cA huge aspect is the ease of preparation\u2014some of most surprising and eye-appealing toasts require little time or labor.\u201d<\/p>\n The breads.<\/strong> \u201cThe secret to really great toast or grilled bread is using an artisan bread,\u201d Ludwig explains. Use black, rye, sourdough, multigrain, focaccia, and even thinly sliced bagels to add flavor and interest.<\/p>\n The technique<\/strong>. Hand-slice bread from very thin to very thick according to topping load and desired effect. \u201cThe opportunity is not only in standard thickness,\u201d Ludwig says, \u201cbut also in taking a thick cut of an inch or more and giving it a luxurious, indulgent topping.\u201d Toast or grill lightly or to very crunchy to vary mouthfeel. Let it cool for 30 seconds or so keep the surface from losing crispness once toppings are added. Chill avocado slices or pur\u00e9e before adding to toast and grilled bread. For sharing-plates applications, cut topped toast into pieces so that everyone at the table can enjoy the flavor experience.<\/p>\n The toppings.<\/strong> \u201cLook to what\u2019s in your larder,\u201d Ludwig advises. \u201cUse a variety of ingredients to create very sophisticated flavor layering. Just make sure ingredients don\u2019t sog out the bread\u2014you don\u2019t want anything too liquid.\u201d Be creative. Toasts can be as sophisticated as Chez Panisse Chef Alice Waters\u2019 Wild-Mushroom Toast or as whimsical as Momofuku Milk Bar Chef\/Owner Christina Tosi\u2019s vibrantly orange Tang Toast\u2014prepared with margarine and, yes, Tang.<\/p>\n The look. <\/strong>\u201cSome of most beautiful dishes we found were sitting on a piece of toasted bread,\u201d Ludwig says. Boost eye appeal by deploying creative garnishes. Possibilities include blistered grape tomatoes charred in oil, julienned radishes, pickled carrots, roasted beets, bias-cut green onion tips, or even a simple fennel frond. Your imagination is the limit. For example, instead of simply spreading avocado over toasted artisan bread, bring on layers of flavor and texture by adding deep-fried chickpeas, sriracha mayo, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro leaves.<\/p>\n However you toast or top it, Ludwig says, \u201cConsider artisan toast and grilled breads to continue be a big thing that can present good things for operators.\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" From appetizer to side dish, this reimagined delight is opening up new menu opportunities.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":4273,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[68],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4272","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culinary-ideas"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
Meat and Seafood Toasts<\/h3>\n
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Vegetable and Fruit Toasts<\/h3>\n
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Breakfast Toasts<\/h3>\n
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Add Layers of Menu Flavor and Sophistication with Foods Already in Stock<\/h2>\n