#6: It’s Nice and Crunchy
Toast, that simple charred slice of bread, carries a history as rich as its flavor when perfectly browned. It traces back to ancient Egypt around 3000 B.C., where bread was dried by fire to extend its shelf life. By the 6th century B.C., the Greeks were raising glasses of wine in a “toast,” not just as a gesture of goodwill but as proof of no foul play—no poison in this party.
The host would sip first, proving the wine safe, and then offer a communal cheer, a ritual precursor to “cheers” we know today. The Romans, true to form, took a leaf out of the Greek manual, toasting to life and politics. They even coined the term “toast” from tostus, as they would put pieces of toasted bread in their sour wine. So, going back full circle, that’s how our favorite breakfast food came to be.