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A Toast to Toast: Why This Health Trend is Here to Stay

The avocado toast from STEAM Energy Cafe at the Worcester Ice Rink (STEAM)
Country toast with Vermont Cabot butter and housemade raspberry jam (BirchTree Bread Company)
Country toast with Vermont Cabot butter and housemade raspberry jam (BirchTree Bread Company)

What comes to mind when you see the word “toast” on a menu? Five years ago I would have said a piece of white bread with butter (and maybe jam) on the peripheries of a classic breakfast meal. Today, toast is its own entity and it’s something I’m constantly on the lookout for. A simple piece of thickly sliced and toasted bread becomes a blank canvas for all of the toppings and aesthetics that make up an artisanal dish, and the options are endless.

Although toast might seem new, it’s been around for what seems like forever without gaining much attention, let alone trending on Instagram. A simple concept of adding avocado to tortillas dates back thousand of years to the Aztecs. The addition of avocado to toast occurred during the 1500’s with Spanish settlers in Mexico – at the time, avocados were accessible and inexpensive, which allowed for avocado toast to be a staple in Spanish culture. Unlike now, when avocado prices are rising and menu items at various restaurants tend to have an extra cost associated with adding avocado (or guacamole).

STEAM dresses up its Cashew Almond Toast with freshly sliced banana and strawberries. (STEAM)
STEAM dresses up its Cashew Almond Toast with freshly sliced banana and strawberries. (STEAM)

Toast has taken cafés and restaurants by storm not only for its tasty flavor combinations but also because of its nutrition spotlight. Starting with the base, common selections include freshly baked naturally leavened breads with minimal ingredients. Naturally leavened bread, especially sourdough, is not only easier for us to digest but also allows for more nutrients to be absorbed. Go for the whole grain option if you’re looking for a source of complex carbohydrates and fiber. Add healthy toppings from avocado and egg to homemade nut butter and fresh fruit. Try hummus and veggies or a variety of superfoods. You’ve got a buzzworthy menu item that is here to stay.

Olive & Herb with whipped feta, evoo & herbs (BirchTree Bread Company)
Olive & Herb with whipped feta, evoo & herbs (BirchTree Bread Company)

Another bonus: depending on what’s on your toast and how much of it you’re eating, toast can serve as a snack or a meal; it’s great for portion control (think open-faced sandwich – one slice of bread instead of two) and getting a variety of nutrients and flavors from different toppings. Lastly, it is a win for the indecisive; why choose sweet or savory when you could have both?

Central Mass toast options are on the rise – restaurants are bringing unique combinations and their own twists on a classic. You can find stand-alone menu options for toast at some cafés and bakeries, such as BirchTree Bread Company and STEAM Energy Cafe.

Avra Hoffman, co-owner of BirchTree Bread Company describes toast as “not only breakfast, but a perfect snack, a light lunch, a vehicle for carrying wholesome house-made toppings on and a way to keep things simple by returning to our roots of having toast with family.” Expect to find some creative combos from BirchTree Bread Company that focus on using local and seasonal ingredients, whenever possible. Their unique weekly specials created by Brittany, head pastry chef and graduate of the New Culinary Institute, even has its own hashtag (#brittanystoast.) If you follow the hashtag you can look back on some fan favorites, such as Taco toast or S’mores toast with homemade fluff.

Artisanal toast also shows up occasionally on brunch specials from restaurants such as Lock 50,  in the form of open-faced steak and eggs; or at Armsby Abbey, which sources its naturally leavened and freshly baked breads from Crust Artisan Bakeshop. You’ll also find avocado toast, a trend within itself, as a hot menu item at local spots like Brew on the Grid and Nu Kitchen. You can stick with classic avocado toasts, like the one from Nu Kitchen, which has avocado, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper; or mix it up with one from STEAM Café which builds on the classic and adds goat cheese and mixed nuts.

My prediction is that toast is here to stay. Expect this trend to grow and start showing up on more menus. Are you hooked on toast? If not, I think it’s only a matter of time…

Brittany’s Toast-bbq baked beans, caramelized onions With bacon, melted sharp cheddar on country (BirchTree Bread Company)
Brittany’s Toast-bbq baked beans, caramelized onions With bacon, melted sharp cheddar on country (BirchTree Bread Company)
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Say So Long to June – Here’s Your Restaurant Recap

Wachusett Brew Yard at the Railers Sports Tavern downtown Worcester, MA

During the month of June, Wachusett Brewing Company launched the Brew Yard at Railers Sports Tavern where lawn games and live music abound. We’re still waiting on The Brew’s 500-seat Beer Garden which is ostensibly “coming summer 2018” just a few blocks away.

This month, contributor Giselle Rivera-Flores continued on her #SundayFunday quest, taking readers to Rail Trail Flatbread Co., a spot largely credited with activating Hudson’s once sleepy downtown. Giselle praised Rail Trail for, “Pressing their own juices and creating their own syrups,” in addition to lauding their fire roasted mussels as a fine summer dish. We were also excited to see the return of contributor Anna Leigh this month whose three day juice cleanse with Steam Energy Cafe left her feeling energized and lean.

Brandon, Server of the Week at VIA Italian Table on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA (source: VIA)
Brandon, Server of the Week at VIA Italian Table on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA (source: VIA)

I continued my tour de pre-meal, courtesy of Reserve, by spending an afternoon at VIA Italian Table. Sitting in on Worcester Restaurant Group’s pointed staff meeting reminded me that plenty of local eateries play at the idea of being the result of an owner’s eccentric passion-project-turned-success. VIA, on the other hand, makes no qualms about being an unabashedly corporate affair. Expectations are high, competition is hot, and employees are unequivocally happy. (Heck, I’d pick up a few shifts just for the gelato.)

Stonecow’s Farmhouse Saison pairs with Buck's Spicy Cougar from Buck's on Green Street in Worcester, MA.
Stonecow’s Farmhouse Saison pairs with Buck’s Spicy Cougar from Buck’s on Green Street in Worcester, MA.

I found a new corner of the Canal District in Buck’s Whiskey & Burger Bar, an establishment built for cowboys and sportsmen. (Cowgirls and sportsladies too.) I paired Stonecow’s Farmhouse Saison with Buck’s Spicy Cougar burger, knowing that sessionable libations are key for me when it comes to a lot of heat; at just 4.5% abv, this beer was superbly crushable. I also had the opportunity to visit Maddi’s Cookery and Taphouse in the Canal District for their soft opening. The menu was spearheaded by Chef Christopher O’Harra, formerly of Flying Rhino, and owner Adam Hicks of Depot Street Tavern. I feasted on buffalo chicken balls, stick e. Bacon, and wings. With our hearts set on the Woo Sox, Worcesterites just can’t seem to get enough pub fare; both new restaurants shared conceptual similarities.

Cape Cod Bay Wine Pairings (Erb Photo)Finally, I had the pleasure of announcing that I will be visiting a half dozen Cape Cod restaurants this summer to add to the Mass Foodies repertoire. In my opinion, there is no strong comprehensive resource for dining on Cape Cod the way Boston has Eater and Worcester has us. Yours truly is hoping to fill the void (with lobster.) Expect visits to Ceraldi, Fishermen’s View, Chatham Bars Inn, and maybe even The Beachcomber. We salute summertime in the beautiful state of Massachusetts.