I’m not going to lie, I love feasting on an amazing toast combination. But I was shocked when I learned that the British snack of choice is a culinary creation known as beans on toast (specifically Heinz Beans in Tomato Sauce on white bread). A combination I believed to be as whacky as Mr. Bean himself.
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How can beans step foot into this food genera? Beans are for BBQs and to be thrown into chili — does it have a place on top of bread? And tomato sauce and beans — who was the first person to put that combo together?
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British friends I met working at summer camp raved about this simplistic dish and stated that greatness is met when the beans are Heinz and the bread is cut into triangles. And with these words of wisdom I opened the can for myself and dinned like the British.
There is a lot I can say about this simple delicacy. The act of pouring beans out of a can is not too pretty, even if the toast is cut into delicate triangles. After rationalizing that my meal was not going to compete with the sophistication that, let’s say, escargot or a fine cheese plater holds, I prevailed.
The beans definitely have a quality of heartiness that satisfied my morning hunger. I could feel my strength increasing with the protein intake. The taste — not bad, but once again I wasn’t expecting filet mignon. The addition of the tangy Heinz tomato sauce, and as a result saturated bread, reminded me of dipping grilled cheese into canned tomato soup. This isn’t a bad thing in my opinion, it was interesting experiencing these flavors in a different form.
Photo by Elyse Belarge
My recommendation is to venture out and try this British commodity. And do it not just because you wish you were in the Royal Family but because you want to travel the world though food. Because hey, every country has their own food quirks. Find the beans in your food market’s international aisle and let your palate cross the pond.
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British Beans on Toast
Ingredients
Instructions
Heat beans in microwave or stovetop, toast bread, and pour beans on toast.