Avocado Toast and Jenna Washuleski Interview. Today, we are making elevated Avocado Toast. Elevated avocado toast enhances the classic combo of toast and avocado. It adds gourmet ingredients, unique textures, and flavors, creating a richer, more complex experience.
Our guest for Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders is Jenna Washuleski, the Founder and CEO of Harmonic Harvest (https://harmonicharvest.org/) in Milwaukee.
You can also listen to the podcast version of this interview and cooking episode –
Jenna shows us how she makes her elevated avocado toast.
The origins of avocado toast date back much further than its recent boom in popularity. Here’s a look at how it evolved:
Early Roots of Avocado Toast
Avocados have been cultivated in Central and South America for thousands of years. People in these regions enjoyed avocados in various ways. They often ate them with bread or tortillas. Ancient cultures, particularly the Aztecs, mashed avocados with salt. They spread them on corn tortillas. This preparation sounds a lot like the modern avocado toast.
1900s California Cuisine
Avocado became very popular in California by the early 1900s, because of the area’s great growing conditions. During the 1920s, cookbooks began including avocado recipes, sometimes paired with bread. In the mid-20th century, California restaurants and cafes started experimenting with avocados as a topping for toast or sandwiches.
Avocado Toast Modern Rise to Fame
Australian chef Bill Granger is often credited with popularizing avocado toast. He did this in the 1990s when he featured it on the menu at his café in Sydney. It quickly became a staple in Australian brunch culture, spreading to Europe and the U.S. In the 2000s, the trend reached major cities like New York and Los Angeles. Avocado toast became a brunch phenomenon. It was often seen on the menus of trendy cafés and health-focused restaurants.
Social Media Explosion of Avocado Toast
The rise of Instagram and food blogging in the 2010s played a big role in avocado toast’s global fame. Its vibrant color and simplicity made it an ideal “food for the camera.” Variations with toppings like eggs, Microgreens, and spices gave it a gourmet twist.
Symbol of Health and Lifestyle
Avocado toast quickly became linked to wellness and health trends. It aligns with plant-based diets and the push for whole, nutrient-dense foods. Its popularity reflects the shift towards healthy, yet indulgent, eating habits among younger generations.
Avocado toast seems like a recent fad. However, it has a history that spans cultures and generations. It symbolizes the blend of ancient traditions and modern health trends. This blend makes it such a unique staple today.
This was her first media interview for Harmonic Harvest—thank you, @neilwillenson, for the recommendation!
Jenna shares her career before Harmonic Harvest and her journey to Milwaukee. Together, we created five unique takes on avocado toast. We used @troubadourbakery bread and locally sourced ingredients from @outpostnaturalfoods.
We made several delicious items. Our creations include:
– @ernessifarms Oregano, olive oil, and @thespicehouse sea salt on sourdough
– @laclarecreamery Maple Bourbon goat cheese and hot honey sprinkles on sourdough
– Cucumber, tomato, feta, and @hundredacre_mke basil on multigrain bread
– Charlie’s special seasoning, @thespicehouse everything bagel seasoning, and @newcentegg egg on an English muffin.
– Black garlic seasoning, tomato, and @milaegers Krushin’ Kale Microgreens on multigrain
There are endless ways to make avocado toast! What’s your favorite?
Cooking Secrets for Men
Cooking Secrets for Men in the News
Our series, Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, was featured in “Milwaukee Magazine” May 2023 edition, called “Civic Gastronomy”. Click here to read the full article.
A few days later, they were discussing me on the radio. It is a local Foodie show called “This Bites” on Radio Milwaukee 88.9 dining critic Ann Christenson from Milwaukee Magazine and Radio Milwaukee’s resident foodie Tarik Moody. My series, Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders, is in the show’s first few minutes.
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In The News
Shepherd Express (Milwaukee) article on our Cooking with Milwaukee Community Leaders show – you can read that article here
Good Counsel HS (My Alma Mater) Magazine article about Cooking Secrets for Men – you can read that article here.
Meet Charlie DeSando – “Voyage Tampa” article, which you can read here.
We were featured in a Redfin article! Check it out here: Designing the Perfect Kitchen for Home Cooks
Meet Charlie DeSando – “Voyage Tampa” article, which you can read here.
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Great variations and ideas for Avocado Toast
Love the creative twists on avocado toast! Using local ingredients and unique toppings makes it so special. Jenna and Charlie’s ideas are super inspiring!