The Making of Toast

The Making of Toast is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, don’t toast your bread close to the flames…

First of all, there's the toast that your family eats daily,
With scrambled eggs, jelly, and butter, no strange

Stuff like anchovies, pickles, spam or soy gravy,

None of them sensible everyday things.

There are fancier spreads if you think they taste sweeter

Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames

Such as marmalade, lemon curd, honey by the liter,

But all of them sensible everyday things.

TOAST (from Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 1, 1918)

As every one knows, TOAST is sliced bread browned by means of heat. To make toast is not a difficult process, but a certain amount of care must be exercised if good results are desired. The slices used for toast may be cut thick or thin, depending on whether the persons for whom the toast is made prefer a soft or a dry toast and whether the digestibility of the toast is to be taken into consideration. If thick slices are used and they are toasted the usual length of time necessary to make the surfaces brown, the centre of the slices will remain soft. Toast made of thin slices and toasted over a slow fire becomes dry and crisp during the process of browning and is more digestible than that which is moist. Such toast will not lose its crispness unless the pieces are piled in a heap while they are hot and are allowed to soften from the moisture that collects. While toast is usually served in the form of slices, just as they are cut from the loaf, the pieces may be cut into shapes of various kinds; in fact, toast becomes more attractive if it is cut in unusual shapes. The crust of toast may be trimmed off or left on, as desired.

If the best results are desired in the making of toast, considerable attention must be given to the heat that is to produce the toast. Whatever kind is employed, it should be steady and without flame. Before a coal or a coke fire is used for this purpose, it should be allowed to burn down until the flame is gone and the coals are hot enough to reflect the heat for toasting. If a gas toaster is used, the gas should be turned sufficiently low for the bread to brown slowly. Very good results are obtained from the use of an electric toaster, also. This device has become a rather common household article where electricity is used in the home, and by means of it the toast can be made on the table and served while it is fresh and hot. In whatever way toast is made, it will lose much of its attractiveness unless it is served while it is fresh and before it loses its heat. If toast becomes burned, either from a flame that is too hot or from inattention on the part of the person who is preparing it, it may be made fit for use by scraping it lightly with a knife or by rubbing it across a grater, so as to remove the burned portion.

My 1920s toaster. It doesn't work but I like it anyway.
I think it was supposed to be elegant enough to be brought straight to the table.
Perhaps if a new cord could be fitted to it somehow...hey, sweetie...?

The sides open out to put the toast in, and I bought it thinking it could be repurposed into a jewelry box.