LEXPERT MAGAZINE
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 89
TRAVEL
Winter
Wonderlands
Sun and sand have their place, but so does embracing the season
edible bread that is past the sell-by or best-before date
— both indicators of quality, not safety. Sandwich
manufacturers discard the heel end of loaves because
we don't eat crusts. So, unfortunately, it's not as simple
as baking less bread — we've got to change consumer
expectations of having abundant quantities of day-
fresh bread. We also waste vast quantities in our
homes — 24 million slices of bread every day —
because we buy too much.
"e problem, of course, is not only with bread.
Western countries throw out nearly half of food
before it even reaches our refrigerators — not
because it's inedible — but because it doesn't look
appealing and the farmers cannot sell it to the
wholesalers and supermarkets."
But back to beer. Cereals like barley and wheat
contain certain sugars that can undergo spontaneous
fermentation when they come in contact with wild
yeasts in the air.
Stuart says, "We're re-inventing a historic tradition.
We combine fresh surplus fresh bread from sandwich
makers and bakeries with malted barley, hops, yeast
and water. Bread is packed with carbohydrates,
which are broken down to sugar by amylase in the
barley. e hops are added for aroma and bitterness,
and they also help to preserve the beer. Finally, yeast
converts the sugars to alcohol.
"e resurgence in home-brewing, reflecting the
huge growth in the cra beer market, means we can
all get involved. We waste huge amounts of bread in
our homes and not everyone wants to make bread
and butter pudding. We've published a bread beer
recipe online for home brewers."
Toast brews four different styles of beer in the UK:
Cra Lager (5% alcohol), Pale Ale (5%), Session IPA
(4.5%), and American Pale Ale (5%). To date the
company has "upcycled" 743,423 slices of bread to
brew 12,122 litres of beer. In NYC, Toast has been
brewing since July 4, 2017, and recently increased the
US range to three beers, and there are also Toast brews
in Cape Town, Rio and Reykjavik. e business has
plans to brew Toast wherever beer and bread are
popular to end food waste one pint at a time.
e company is also collaborating with three
other breweries around Britain, including Franklins
Brewing Company in Sussex, which uses le-over
bagels in its Optimist beers. e company motto:
"e Optimist sees the bagel and the pessimist sees
the hole."
So now you know what you can do with the end
of that loaf that's going stale in your fridge: instead
of baking croutons, you can brew yourself a cold one.
You can find the home brew recipe at www.toastale.
com/homebrew-recipe/.
WHEN THE WINTER workload is at its heaviest, planning the perfect get-
away can feel like the light at the end of a very long due diligence tunnel. And
while sun and sand have their place, sometimes what you really want is a get-
away that feels like a winter wonderland. ese options take advantage of the
season. Play your cards right and you'll return to your office with an adventure
you'll be able to brag about year-round.
>
Play it Cool in New York — Kick off the holiday season with a shopping
trip that delivers great deals on the brand names you love. New York City's
newest offering includes a scenic ferry ride out to Staten Island. Empire outlets,
the first shopping outlet to open in the five boroughs, includes popular stops
like Brooks Brothers, H&M, Nordstrom Rack, Polo and more. Pack an extra
bag for the trip home. You'll need it. (empireoutletsnyc.com)
>
Go for the Cold in Colorado — Skip the ho-hum vacations and opt for a
bespoke adventure instead. Choose the Ski Adventure from Four Seasons Re-
sort and Residences and you'll head to both Jackson Hole and Vail. e adven-
ture pairs luxury hotel stays with NetJets private charters for a fully customiz-
able itinerary. From fittings for custom handmade skis to a private wildlife
safari (starting with an aerial tour of the Teton Mountain Range and continu-
ing by snowmobile in the most secluded pockets of Yellowstone), to a private
bourbon tasting, you can mix and match options to create the kind of winter
getaway you've always dreamed of. (fourseasons.com/netjets/ski-adventure/)
>
Get the Full Winter Package in Fairbanks — Imagine the look on the
faces of colleagues when you return from mushing a team of huskies across the
Alaskan wilderness with the photos to prove your prowess. And that's just the
beginning. Explore Denali National Park and Preserve (pictured above), make
your way across the Arctic Circle, or take the family and show them where
Santa lives at the North Pole. If temperatures dip a little lower than you'd like,
simply warm-up in an Alaskan hot spring at the end of an adventure-filled day.
It's the Alaskan way. (explorefairbanks.com)
| DETOURS |
Heather Greenwood Davis is a lawyer, a contributing editor to National Geographic Traveler,
and a columnist for The Globe and Mail. Reach her at Heather@globetrottingmama.com.
Tony Aspler is the author of 17 books on wine,
including his latest, Canadian Wineries.
PHOTO:
SHUTTERSTOCK