Who knew that a plain and simple bread can do so much? Toasted bread smothered with butter or jam or toppings and served with a cup of hot coffee or tea makes up for an ideal breakfast. Especially on the rushy mornings and on days when you don’t feel like cooking, bread toast can just fit in right. Have you ever wondered how and why these toasted bread versions were actually created? Well, toast has a long and interesting history that spans centuries.
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While going back to the origin of toast, we must talk about the origin of bread. If some sources are to be believed, flour dates back some 30,000 years and it is assumed that people have been making flatbread since then. Bread has been a staple food in many ancient civilizations. Moreover, it was also sometimes used as an offering to the gods in Ancient Greece. Bread, as per some food legends, was likely invented in ancient Egypt. It was the Egyptians who learned that when the dough is left sitting out for a while, it would rise. And when baked, it would retain its risen shape due to yeast spores.
Then a time came when the leavened bread, a lighter bread, was more preferred than flat breads. But there was one problem. Because of being left out in the desert heat for long periods of time, the bread would go hard and became difficult to eat. Here, 'Toast’ came as a saviour. According to some popular food legends, toast was ideally originated in order to preserve bread. When the bread slices were scorched, they lasted longer. Interesting, isn’t it? In no time, the practice of toasting bread became popular throughout the Roman Empire.
The word “toast” came from Latin word “tostum,” which translates “to burn or to scorch.” The first breads were probably toasted by laying them in front of the fire on a hot stone. Later, simpler devices were invented to toast bread in the fire. After many trials and errors that went on for years, successful electric toasters were created, and toasting became much easier. Then, the popularity of pre-sliced bread helped in popularizing toast and the toaster.
It was a lot easier to grab a few uniformly cut slices and put them in the toaster for breakfast. Years passed and now, bread toast has become an evitable part of our lives. No wonder!