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Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Chow A Post About Toast (And How I Love Thee)

Posted by Megan Seling on Wed, Dec 31, 2008 at 2:37 PM

I'm meeting a friend for coffee tomorrow. I live in Ballard, so I suggested Cupcake Royale/Verite. He suggested that place with toast.

"THERE'S A PLACE IN BALLARD THAT SERVES ONLY TOAST???" I screamed in all caps via text messaging.

"Yeah, how awesome is that?" he calmly responded.

Then we both began praising toast and wondered how glorious a place that serves only toast must be and then he wondered who invented toast. I didn't know, he didn't know, so I looked it up. Turns out, we have the Romans to thank (the Egyptians apparently had something to do with it as well):

Via about.com:

Toasting bread began as a method of prolonging the life of bread. It was very common activity in Roman times, 'tostum' is the latin word for scorching or burning. The first electric toaster was invented in 1893 in Great Britain by Crompton and Co (UK) and re-invented in 1909 in the United States. It only toasted one side of the bread at a time and it required a person to stand by and turn it off manually when the toast looked done. Charles Strite invented the modern timer, pop-up toaster in 1919.

Charles Strite, you're a good man and I thank you for making a delicious and versitile treat so accessible.

As for the place in Ballard, it's called Nervous Nellie's Coffee and Toast. If you've been, let the world know what you think and leave a reader review! I'm dying to hear if it's as awesome as it sounds. Because I really do love toast—dry, with butter, with jam, with butter and jam, with cheese and eggs, with ketchup and mayonnaise, with peanut butter, with peanut butter and marshmallow fluff, with peanut butter and sliced bananas, with peanut butter and honey, with honey and butter, with cinnamon and sugar, with cream cheese and fake ham... (insert Homer Simpson drooling noise)...

Comments (32) RSS

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I think it's great that Slog opens up posts to 13 year old girls

Posted by very open minded of Slog on December 31, 2008 at 2:41 PM

I've been. I thought the toast was just ok. But I'm not a toastaholic like it sounds you are. Me, I'd do Besalu for leek/goat cheese quiche nnnnrgh.

Posted by leek on December 31, 2008 at 2:43 PM

and this isn't pointless consumer spending?

Posted by Final Arbiter of Purchasing Decisions on December 31, 2008 at 2:49 PM

Dry toast? Meh.

Posted by Miss Stereo on December 31, 2008 at 2:53 PM

Megan, I am so with you on the toast love. I dropped a stupid amount of coin on a convection toaster oven this season because my old one died a few months ago and it has been rough. I do not recommend toasting bread in a gas oven.

Posted by kid icarus on December 31, 2008 at 2:54 PM

Bah, where was all the love for toast when Joey Kline was running his Toast Bar out of University Coffee back in the late 80s?

Posted by --MC on December 31, 2008 at 2:56 PM

joey kline--didn't he put out an album called 'pomp and circus pants'?

Posted by scary tyler moore on December 31, 2008 at 3:03 PM

Toast with cream cheese and a fine sprinkling of BACON SALT (mmm...vegetarian bacon-flavored goodness. The maple bacon salt is my fave)

Posted by Tracy on December 31, 2008 at 3:10 PM

I love toast too! But best is toast with butter and marmalade - which they also serve at Nervous Nellie's. As for the place itself, it's okay but not compelling.

Posted by lynne on December 31, 2008 at 3:10 PM

Joey Kline also had a band called Boy Toast in Montana. And his album 'Pomp and Circus Pants' was put out on Popllama in '88. Funny guy, great musician, a lot of amazing local players cut their teeth in one or another of his many bands.

Posted by Martin McClellan on December 31, 2008 at 3:11 PM

this is the best news i've heard all year.

Posted by zoompop on December 31, 2008 at 3:12 PM

Megan - Killer toast can be found at Blackbird Bakery on Bainbridge Island. It's a short walk down Winslow Way from the ferry. They even sell t-shirts with "I like toast" across the back. Oatmeal bread - they make it there. Plain, with butter, or with butter and jam. Thick slices, like 2 inches thick. Crispy caramelized on the outside and warm and satisfying inside. Eat in or to go.

Toast perfection (although a little peanut butter would be nice)

Posted by Marit on December 31, 2008 at 3:14 PM

With peanut butter and bacon.

Posted by ruleoflaw on December 31, 2008 at 3:17 PM

The idea of a toastatorium isn't alone in Ballard. There's a place in BC run by a couple of my friends called The Toast Collective. It's a non-profit all-ages performance venue toast cafe. The motto: The best breads and spreads.

If you're ever in Vancouver, go to a show there.

Posted by Matt Fuckin' Hickey on December 31, 2008 at 3:37 PM

It's not a place that serves only toast.

They serve coffee.

If I want toast I want it straight-edge - none of that nine-grain tofu banana bread toast and caramel macchiato crap, but just TOAST. Whole wheat, white, rye, or pumpernickel.

And water.

Posted by Will in Seattle on December 31, 2008 at 3:48 PM

Ketchup and mayonnaise?? Barf.

Posted by Ingrid on December 31, 2008 at 3:48 PM

This totally makes up for my mental bummer every time I think about Töst in Fremont and that it is like, drink toast, not toast toast.

Posted by Non on December 31, 2008 at 3:55 PM

Now I know I'm officially old. Remember the Toaster Museum on the Hill in the early 90s? Anybody?

Posted by toastmaven on December 31, 2008 at 4:15 PM

Marmite!

Posted by Fnarf on December 31, 2008 at 4:19 PM

12 beat me to it....worth the ferry enabled day trip journey, with the oddity factor only adding to the charm of the tasty toast.

And then after that, keep walking up the block for some good old fashioned ice cream.

Posted by Derek on December 31, 2008 at 4:19 PM

Toast from a dumpster would be better than Crapcake Royale...

Posted by michael strangeways on December 31, 2008 at 4:31 PM

Yeah, they should have some of that thai toast at Tost in Fremont - good suggestion.

Marmite ... well ... I'd rather do honey, mind you.

Posted by Will in Seattle on December 31, 2008 at 4:32 PM

Bacon Salt? Don't believe the hype. Also, the toast at Nellies is good and the service is grouchy. Whatever you do, don't fire up your laptop.

Posted by Porkchop Sandwiches! on December 31, 2008 at 5:06 PM

I prefer the toast place in Belltown, but they're only open for dinner. Their sashimi-grade tuna carpaccio and wasabi mayonnaise on sourdough is the BOMB.

Posted by Toast is the new sushi on December 31, 2008 at 5:12 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrF_K1w2h…

Posted by Vasya on December 31, 2008 at 7:18 PM

COMMENT DELETED: Spam

We'd rather not moderate your comments, but off-topic, gratuitously inflammatory, threatening, or otherwise inappropriate remarks may be removed, and repeat offenders may be banned from commenting. We never censor comments based on ideology. Thanks to all who add to the conversation on Slog.

Posted by Not a fan on December 31, 2008 at 8:35 PM

Good ol' banana bread - you know, with butter and eggs - makes excellent toast.

When I was in Spain I got "barra" toast - a small baguette sliced lengthwise and toasted. I suspect it was actually griddle-fried in butter as opposed to literally toasted and buttered, but it was fantastic.

Posted by oscar on January 1, 2009 at 8:37 AM

remedy teas has awesome toast. i miss living within walking distance.

Posted by beth Fell on January 1, 2009 at 9:13 AM

Hooray for the Toast Marketing Board:

http://shop.goliathcorp.com/?prod=16&r=1…

Posted by Alicia on January 1, 2009 at 8:16 PM

Flavored sea salt is also an excellent accent to toast.

Almond Cardamom salt with a crusty french baguette and olive oil is a personal favorite.

Secret Stash Sea Salts does uniquely flavored hand-crafted salts (at the Ballard Farmers Market); though they can be bought online too.

www.secretsalts.com

Posted by Shelly on January 2, 2009 at 1:22 PM

My favorite Boy Toast song was, "Me and Roger Staubach kickin' ass". I heard it at the Top Hat in Missoula, MT. It's about a kid whose dying wish is to catch a touchdown pass thrown by Roger Staubach of the Dallas Cowboys.

Posted by Blues Traveler on January 2, 2009 at 1:23 PM