Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Colleen Clawson’s obsession with toast began when she was a toddler. “My mom would make toasted croutons whenever she served pea soup. Mom buttered the bread on both sides and griddled it to crunchy brownness,” she says. “Then she cut the toasted pieces to crouton size and tossed them in a skillet to crisp the edges.” Here, Clawson—chef and owner of Milque Toast Bar on South Jefferson—shares tips for creating toasted goodness.
Step 1: Choose the Best Bread
Clawson buys the bread for her savory and sweet toast creations from St. Louis–based Red Guitar Bakery. She chooses breads to match the flavor profiles in the combination of toppings: Toast made from challah or brioche works well with fruit-based and nut butter toppings. Crusty loaves, baguettes, and peasant breads support savory cheeses and vegetables.
Step 2: Bread as Appetizer
When it comes to toast, think outside the breadbox, Clawson says. “The nice thing about toast is that it can be scrappy and spur-of-the-moment,” she says. “When people stop by unexpectedly, pull out bread and toast it.” Focaccia, ciabatta rolls, and pretzel buns all make great toast. Spread butter from edge to edge and toss the pieces into a warmed skillet. “Butter makes the bread brown beautifully,” she says.
Step 3: Topping Toast
“Always start with a layer of fat, like butter, cream cheese, olive oil, or nut butter,” says Clawson. “The important thing is that the breads are hot when you add the fat.” Building a barrier prevents the toppings—be it fruit, honey, or cheese—from soaking into the bread.
Step 4: The Kindest Cut
“We slice loaves with serrated bread knives as orders come in,” Clawson says. For brioche and challah, Clawson uses a knife with smaller serrations so the bread’s soft center isn’t chewed up. For crusty bread, she selects a sharper serrated knife: “The crumb is tighter, so the bigger knife doesn’t chew it up.” At Milque Toast, leftover bread is frozen. “If you pull a loaf out of the freezer, you can cut it with a chef’s knife while it’s still frozen,” she says.
Step 5: No Toaster?
In a pinch, Clawson recommends placing a piece of bread on a long-handled fork and toasting it over the flame of a gas stove. Otherwise, toast sliced bread in a skillet over medium-low heat. She emphasizes that all toast should have a satisfactory bite: “If you’re using a soft bread, the trick is to toast it long enough for the bread to toast from the outside in…you want the center to have a slight crunch.”
