Cupcakes stuffed with Snicker bits topped with peanut butter maple bacon frosting and drizzled with salted caramel sauce.
Did I get your attention? Probably.
Scrolling through Pinterest and browsing food blogs lately has started to feel overly indulgent and a bit… stomach clenching. Why this sudden trend to stuff more “stuff” into a dish to make it more outrageous? More decadent?
Early in the year, Vancouver held it’s annual Hot Chocolate festival. I normally love the festival because… well… let’s face it. It’s chocolate. In liquid form.
But this year, I didn’t go. Last year, it seemed like all the establishments taking part were trying so hard to conjure up something unique that had never been done before that I simply couldn’t get a really delicious, classic cup of hot chocolate.
Not one. And I tried many. At one point, after several tries, I gave up and had Sean take me out for tacos instead.
I thought about going this year. But then one chocolate shop put out the Paula Deen Hot Chocolate: 70% dark chocolate ganache made with condensed milk, salted kettle chips and vanilla whipped cream. The chips sat on top of the hot chocolate, the whipped cream on top of that. I’m not even sure, from the photos floating around the internet, how you got to the hot chocolate part.
I just wanted a cup of hot cocoa! Rich, creamy and chocolatey. Not so overly indulgent that I can’t finish it – where’s the enjoyment in that? And not so over the top that I can’t figure out how to drink it.
What does this all have to do with avocados on toast?
Only this: I am craving a return to simple food that isn’t trying so hard! There doesn’t need to be an obscure ingredient in the recipe title to make it “different”. It doesn’t need to be pretentious or have a hipster twist.
I’m talking about eating a tomato with a sprinkle of salt on it. Or green beans sauteed with a little garlic and soy sauce.
One of my favourite dinners is a grilled pork chop seasoned with nothing but a little salt, pepper and garlic and served with a pan of hot garlic potato perogies that have been fried with bacon and onions. Add some sour cream and a side of steamed broccoli and I couldn’t be happier.
But what’s pinnable about that? Where’s the unique recipe? How can you blog about that?
I don’t care anymore. Sometimes the blog post isn’t about the recipe. Instead, it’s about the dish itself and why it resonates with you. And as I was reminded when I photographed kale a few weeks ago, simple can be stunningly beautiful.
Avocado on toast resonates with me. It’s simple comfort food. It makes me feel oddly fulfilled – like I’ve created something wonderous but in 90 seconds. I always want to eat it slowly because I don’t want it to disappear. Even though I could go make another piece in another 90 seconds if I really wanted to.
You don’t need fancy bread. Plain whole wheat will do just as well as crusty French bread.
You can slice the avocados or mush them up with a fork (I find mushing so much more satisfying but I slice when I’m in a hurry). On its own the taste is fine. But spritz with a little fresh lime juice or a sprinkle of salt or a dash of pepper (or all three as I prefer) and the flavour goes to another level. It’s a lesson in how one ingredient can bring out the best in another – just like a couple meant for each other!
And so that is what you get today. I didn’t stuff any olives, peppers, capers or potato chips (or all four) into the smushed up avocado. I just spread it on a hot piece of toast.
And I ate it terribly slowly while savouring every last damn bite of it.
Food Photography Notes
Not so much notes today as a question. I am becoming increasingly frustrated with my 100mm 2.8 macro lens. It’s a Canon EF lens – just a regular one, not an L one. The focus is not doing it for me (just look at that last photo!). Does anyone else out there have the same lens? Have you found it difficult to focus? I find I do better with it on manual but on auto it’s really a struggle.
I’ve had avocado on toast three mornings this week. And for balance, 417 meringues with chocolate sauce. Also, that hot chocolate situation? I have a hard time with whipped cream – just whipped cream – so I could not deal. In fact, most of the time I specifically request that they leave the whipped cream off, as it is kinda… sturdy, and I can’t break through it with my face. WHY?!?!?
I don’t have the 100 mm macro – I have Canon’s 60 mm and a 50 mm. I enjoy ’em both, and the 50 mm/1.8 is, like, the bestest and cheapest thing going. I got one for my mother and it basically changed her life…
I have the 50 and I love it. But sometimes, I want to get in tighter than it will let me focus so I use the macro but… meh…
That’s right… meh.
I totally agree. Sometimes eating simple food is good for the soul. Yesterday I ate mashed avocado on pumpernickel bread and loved every bite.
I agree!
G’morning, Melissa. I have to say that, as I may have mentioned before, I love your writing. Many times what you write about is closely if not along the lines of what I’ve thought about too. There’s an abundance of “interesting” mish-mash of “food” out there from the sweets arena that has me wondering “but why?” 😀
The colors are vibrant on your image of the avocado toast. The L series has been in my Amazon cart for awhile now (and will remain there), as I can’t afford to add it to my arsenal…only dream. I have the same lens you used and have been happy with it. Use it just as much as the 24-105mm f/4L lens. Are you manually controlling the focus points and range settings from your camera?
Hey Cristina, thanks for weighing in. For some reason, I thought you were a Nikon user!
I do control the focus points manually – that’s what makes it so incredibly frustrating. I find that when I get the photo up on the screen, the area with the sharp focus is usually above what I thought I was focusing on in a vertical shot. Using a tripod minimizes it (these were hand held) so I think it must be me moving when the shutter goes – have you noticed it to have that fine of a focus that camera shake at a fast shutter speed affects the focus?
I think I might trade it in… I’ve had much more luck with the 24-70 2.8L but don’t own one myself. I just borrow. Might be time to pony up – a trade in would help.
Well now I know what I’m having for breakfast tomorrow! It may sound strange, but I never thought to mush it up. Half the time I’m always trying to keep the slices on the bread and now it seems so obvious.
Also, I would choose this over a bacon-caramel-peanut butter-chocolate bar hybrid cupcake any day.
haha… yes… it never occurred to me either until one day I put some leftover guacamole on some toast and thought… why am I not mushing up the avocados when I do this??
Here, here for simple mushed avocado on toast! I like mine with a good quality dijon and when I’m feeling extravagant, a slice of swiss cheese. That’s what I had for lunch yesterday. And what you said about Pinterest and obscure ingredients, I totally agree with you.
oh god… a slice of swiss… that would definitely take it to the next level! I feel I need to go out and get some swiss right now! Thanks Laureen 🙂
I agree. Preparing, enjoying and yes, photographing simple food is best. Too much of anything is well, just too much.
P.S. My husband is with you on the pork chops!
Pork chops are very excellent. Your husband is a good man!
This is my idea of the most perfect meal. Add a soft boiled egg on another slice of toast and you have my breakfast and or lunch every. single. day.
Sometimes I come across my uni notebooks from when i had a habit of doodling what I ate that day, and there are always little drawings of bread and avocados sliced in half.
The end of winter always has me crazy craving simple, fresh food. Bring on the spring harvest!
hahaha… the uni notebooks… that’s so cute! You should IG one someday. But yes, I can’t wait for fresh asparagus with a little lemon and parmesan cheese all roasted in the oven. Simple is best!
Nothing better than good ol’ avocado toast!!! Love the blog, Melissa 🙂
Hey Melissa, after following you on Instagram these past few weeks, I finally (and wisely) decided to check out your blog. I love it. And I love this post. I agree with you wholeheartedly. I was getting wrapped up in the whole “more is more is more thing” by creating recipes that were crazier than the last, thinking it would get me more readership. It’s exhausting! I like the idea of returning to simplicity, things that taste good without all the bells ‘n whistles. Avo on toast is perfect.