- Snack reviewer Kalani Ghost Hunter invited his friends to try the British classic
A pair of American YouTubers have been lauded online after giving their verdict on a classic British lunch-time staple.
Food reviewing phenomenon Kalani Ghost Hunter invited his friends, Steve and Dylan, to try a snack that is loved by millions of Brits but often criticised and ridiculed by Americans.
A simple staple for many home cooks who want a quick meal, the dish has also consistently been used as a target when it comes to pointing out an apparent lack of flavour or complexity in British cuisine.
After preparing the dish for his friends, Kalani said they could either eat simply by picking up the snack by hand or by using a knife and fork.
Opting for the former, they dived straight in, causing some of the cheesy beans to spill off the toast – but were immensely satisfied by the results.
A pair of American YouTubers gave a surprising verdict after trying cheesy beans on toast for the first time while comparing it to a snack that is more renowned for consumption across the United States
Praising it for its depth of flavour, they marked that it had a similar taste to ‘mac and cheese on toast’.
They added: ‘The beans are not sweet beans [like people might expect in the US] like barbecue-flavoured beans. They have more of a tomato flavour and taste very good’.
They also went to compare the snack to ‘grilled cheese dipped in tomato soup’, also noting that they felt British cheese to be ‘better’, noting that Cathedral Cheddar was, in their words, ‘life-changing’.
Giving their verdict on the snack overall, they rated it a strong nine out of ten, clearly demonstrating their satisfaction with the meal.
Responding to their verdict in the comments, other users were quick to hail Kalani for his efforts in attempting to boost the reputation of British foods.
One user joked: ‘This man’s done more for British international relations than any foreign secretary ever has’.
A second quipped: ‘Bro [sic] accidentally became the food ambassador of the UK’.
Another praised Kalani for making the snack as British as possible when it came to his preparation, posting: ‘First American I have seen on this app make beans on toast the way us Brits make it.’
Food reviewing phenomenon Kalani Ghost Hunter invited his friends, Steve and Dylan, to try a food that is loved by millions of Brits but often criticised and ridiculed by Americans
Critiquing Kalani’s method, a fourth remarked: ‘Try not to boil your beans as it affects the taste. And very crispy bread is even better, with a thin layer of marmite on the toast plus cheese’.
This advice was echoed by the brand in advice released to consumers in October 2023, as it gave the seemingly ideal method for how to cook baked beans.
Heinz said: ‘Never boil your Heinz beans. This can cause the sauce to split, potentially ruining the colour and flavour.’
Two slices of white farmhouse loaf bread should be toasted, placed on a plate and have unsalted butter spread evenly up to the crust.
The beans – heated to 64C for the ideal instant eating temperature – are then poured over the toast.
The recipe released on social media soon blew the mind of many beans on toast fans with the choice of butter, in particular, causing controversy among the hundreds of comments.
Heinz declared online: ‘There are two types of people in the world – those who add butter to their beans on toast and those who don’t.’
Dawnie Claypole responded ‘Oh, I’m a heathen. I love salted butter’, while another viewer branded unsalted butter ‘a crime’.
Maria Brown said: ‘Unsalted butter literally tastes of nothing. Salted all the way.’