Texas Toast

Despite the implications in its name, Texas toast is not sold toasted, but is instead a packaged, sliced bread, characterized by its thickness (twice the thickness of most sliced and packaged bread). It is most commonly used for dishes such as French toast, and others which incorporate heavy substances like sauces and syrups. Sometimes, it is buttered, broiled until golden, and served with pulled pork and garlic. It is also often used in fondues and chicken sandwiches. If there is a barbecue going around, it is not uncommon to see Texas toast served as a side dish. The highly versatile bread is believed to have originated in 1941 in Beaumont, Texas, at the restaurant named Pig Stands when its owner, Royce Hailey, ordered some wide-sliced bread that he intended for toasting. Since the bread was too thick to fit into the toaster, a cook suggested that the bread should be buttered and grilled instead. The dish was a huge success with the customers, and it is still a favorite at the only remaining Pig Stand restaurant in San Antonio.