Tale of the Trenary Toast

The crunchy, cinnamon toast that Yoopers love.

The small town of Trenary, Mich., located between Marquette and Escanaba in the western U.P., is to thank for this crunchy delicacy. Produced by Trenary Home Bakery since 1928, Trenary Toast is a dry, cinnamon-coated , twice-baked bread, or korppu in Finnish.

Nondescript paper bags contain 15 of the thick, hard brown slices and sell for $5.50.

Finnish immigrants brought this unique piece of bakery to the U.P.’s mining region in the early 20th century. The bread was coated in a cinnamon sugar mixture for both taste and preservation. Cinnamon’s natural properties are what gives it a year-long shelf life!

Much like the Cornish pasty, the hard toast was easy to carry in pockets and lunch pails for long days working underground in the mines and became a staple in many homes across the area.

For those with more of a sweet tooth, you’ll want to try the bakery’s latest creation.

The toast has a distinctively loud and satisfying crunch. Most Yoopers say that the best way to enjoy Trenary Toast is by dunking it in coffee or crumbling it inside a bowl of milk, which makes it easier to eat. Since I don’t drink coffee, I guess I would be considered a “cruncher,” or one who eats the toast on its own. There are also “spreaders,” who coat it in butter or jam.

At only 55 calories per slice, it also makes a good combo with yogurt for breakfast. The flavor is what really stands out. It has a concentrated cinnamon punch, but is not overly sweet.

With close to a thousand bags of Trenary Toast produced daily, the original flavor remains the most popular although other flavors are available including Tart Cherry Sugar, Cardamom, Chocolate Chip, Vanilla, and Cinnamon Raisin. See trenaryhomebakery.com to order your favorite.

Trenary Toast is popular among the locals and a special treat for U.P. visitors.

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Photos and history courtesy Trenary Home Bakery.