The process of browning food by exposing it to dry heat, typically to enhance flavor and create a crispy texture. Most commonly applied to bread, nuts, seeds, and spices.
From Old French 'toster' meaning 'to roast, grill,' ultimately from Latin 'torrere' meaning 'to parch or burn.' The culinary sense evolved from the practice of holding bread near fire to brown and crisp it.
Toasting triggers the Maillard reaction, the same chemical process that creates the complex flavors in roasted coffee and seared meat. Ancient Romans actually invented toast as a way to preserve bread longer - the reduced moisture content prevented spoilage!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.