Toast for All Generations

Avocado toast is a phrase that calls to mind, for many, an association with the Millennial Generation as a defining feature. Fair enough, but avocados and bread have been around a long time on this ol’ earth. However, it often takes some time before winning combinations are discovered: chocolate and peanut butter, linguine and clams, Netflix and chill. Man cannot live on bread alone, as the saying goes, so enter avocado into the picture. 

Multiple Realizability

There’s a concept in introductory critical thinking books called multiple realizability, but it’s simpler than it sounds. Think of a chess game: it can be played traditionally, time or untimed, with all kinds of variations of the pieces, with melting ice pieces, or simply without a physical board– all in the mind of the players. Avocado toast is the same: using the essential guidelines, you can create all kinds of variations, toppings, substitutions, experiments, and new discoveries. Keep in mind that there are 3,125 permutations of just 5 ingredients (so long as some repetition is allowed). Avocado toast, with its two core ingredients, provides a springboard for creativity. 

Variations on a Classic 

Simply Recipes has an interesting take on the recipe incorporating smoked paprika and olives. Paprika alone is a great spice with health benefits as is, but smoking it takes it to the next level and is reminiscent of a wet campfire, a nostalgic smell for many. For the carnivore, pork roll or another meat can be added; the dish can be taken in different ethnic horizons: add salsa; smoked salmon for a Scandinavian flourish; or consider the multiple realizability of spice combinations: cayenne is both health-beneficial and adds kick or cracked pepper helps tie the different variant ingredients together. Don’t be afraid of salt, as we’ve written about: it both helps the body’s cells absorb nutrients, and it has a special, savory relationship with avocado (salt and avocado being another wonderful pairing). 

Upping the Ante: the Bex Take 

Bex’s take on avocado toast is elegant but traditional. A perfectly-cooked egg with a yolk somewhere between a solid and liquid state soaks into excellent bread; avocado slices and a nice garnish of fruit bring out the natural sweetness of all ingredients. In a word: Bex’s avocado toast is harmonious. The dish is also quite filling, as it is packed with nutrients from its fruit (avocado is a fruit, mind you!) and starch sources. In line with Bex’s approach to providing healthy anti-inflammatory foods, avocado is rich in unsaturated fats and helps lower undesirable LDL fats in the body. The bread component helps with sustained energy to get you through the day. Chef Becky uses sourdough, that ancient bread that San Francisco is famous for. Sourdough is good for the gut and its pleasant tang complements well the other ingredients. The Chef uses bread from Bread Alone in the New York Catskills. Since bread is a key component, choose wisely! “Bread Alone has been our go-to for a while,” the Chef explains, “they make a really excellent product by just focusing on good bread.” 

The Bottom Line

Avocado toast isn’t just a Millennial fad. It is easy to make, portable, super healthy, and tasty, and Chef Becky takes it to the next level with her bread and garnish choices. It’s a meal that’s hard to mess up, so it’s a great way to teach cooking skills, ingredient pairings, and nutrition. 

Stop by Bex and see what the Millennial fuss is all about!