The toaster, its history and our favourite models

Geneviève Brunet | 9/6/24, 2:04 PM

Defrost functions, crumb tray, automatic rising system, Lift'n Toast and Fast Toast technologies... What about the toaster? The story of this faithful companion of our breakfasts tells, in a small way, the story of the evolution of our lifestyles.

Much of human activity can be summed up as the pursuit of new forms of comfort. Obtaining a perfectly toasted slice of bread every morning has long occupied people's minds. Today, the choice of equipment to achieve this is not insignificant. We may not realize it, but the utensil that faithfully accompanies each of our breakfasts has been around for less than a century. For a long time, man was content to hold the slightly stale slices of bread over the fire. As did the Romans with their " tostum " (meaning " toasted "), which was above all a technique for preserving bread.

Our mornings changed at the beginning of the 20th century with General Electric's " Lucifer " model, made of mica and a series of heating elements surrounded by metal grids. Sitting in the middle of the table, it's open, toasts one side of the slice at a time... roasted, burnt and fingers copiously bruised, just long enough to drink your tea.

In 1921, American Charles Strite, a factory worker in Minnesota who had had enough of blackened sandwich bread in the cafeteria, patented the bread ejection mechanism. The " Toastmaster ", the first ejector toaster, uses a timed spring mechanism to guarantee slice ejection and automatic shutdown of the element. The domestication of electricity in the 1930s, followed by the emergence of design and the industrial revolution, democratized the object, giving rise to the marvels of American household appliances in the 1960s. Little by little, the toaster became enclosed, covered with a body and aerodynamic. As fashions changed, they successively adopted angular or rounded aesthetics.

A new leap forward opened up a whole new world of possibilities for toast lovers: the invention of microchips. Browned on one side only, seared, gently toasted, kept warm, defrosted... The toast now touches perfection. Some top-of-the-range models can even be controlled remotely, from a smartphone, and can even print drawings or words on the bread. The toaster is " a mise en abyme of our way of life, for it bears witness to the way in which our daily lives have become mechanized over time, under the influence of the consumer society that enshrines the advent of the "toaster". of the consumer society, which enshrines the advent of banal things ", explain Gil Bartholeyns and Manuel Charpy in their book L'Étrange et Folle Aventure du grille-pain, de la machine à coudre et des gens qui s'en servent. Objects of our kitchens, do you have a soul?

How do you toast it?

Choosing a toaster is not something to be done lightly. You can opt for a vintage model or one by a designer; choose a sober color or draw from an explosive color chart; opt for the sturdy, paunchy family model, or keep a precious little jewel all to yourself... The necIsn't the nec plus ultra to stand in front of the window and watch your toast until it's the perfect shade?

1.generous. Automated 4-slice model for toasted snacks, from bagels to sandwiches. "Artisan", red or grey, KitchenAid, €429 2.Fifties. Retro, opulent, it handles all breads, including bagels, and comes in vintage tones. "TSFO3, Smeg, €220.29. 3.precious. With a name like that, it could only be seductive. "Romeo", design Andreas Seegatz, Casa Bugatti, 329 €. 4.Couture. A toaster draped in an elegant pleated skirt available in five colors (white, black, anthracite, green, red). "Plissé", Alessi, €99. 5.voyeur. Its panoramic window lets you keep an eye on bread baking. "Vision", Magimix, €220.

This article is taken from Gault&Millau #4. If you don't want to miss any future issues, subscribe now.

These news might interest you

Food & Health

Did you know about sea truffles? Seaweed with a truffled taste

What if you used seaweed to give your dishes a truffle-like flavour? It's possible! Discover Vertebrata lanosa, a sea vegetable nicknamed "the sea truffle".

Read

Food & Health

Behind every piece of skrei: the story of sustainable fishing and the men and women who preserve this tradition

Every winter, Norway and its fishermen celebrate the return of the skrei, a unique migratory cod. Behind its tasty flesh lies an ancestral fishing tradition, rooted in Norwegian culture and driven by values of sustainability.

Read

Food & Health

How can technological innovations be used to create gourmet dishes?

Read

Food & Health

"Invited to take part in the world cassoulet championship, chefs Timothée Deguingand and Nicolas Ferrand from the Pampa restaurant in Lyon's Pullman hotel foundthemselves competing against three teams from Toulouse and one from the Tarn region. And they won! On January 20, 2025, the competitors faced off at the 9ᵉ edition of the competition, at the Rex, in Toulouse. During this evening organized by Les Chevaliers du Fiel, the chefs had to offer their cassoulet to 150 people. The two Lyon-based chefs competed against Toulouse-based establishments La Maison du Cassoulet, Le Bibent and Maison Pardailhé, and Cuq en Terrasses, in the Tarn region. It wasn't a foregone conclusion. Timothée Deguingand, executive chef at Pullman Lyon since its opening, and Nicolas Ferrand, head of banqueting, offer their restaurant's menu the fruit of a Franco-South American fusion. "But the restaurant world is a small one! The manager of our hotel used to work in Toulouse, so some people told him that a candidate had withdrawn for the world cassoulet championship, and that's how we got there!" says Nicolas Ferrand. A traditional recipe For this competition, the candidates had to propose a traditional cassoulet. The two chefs took their inspiration from Prosper Montagné's 1929 recipe. "We interpreted it while respecting tradition," explains Timothée Deguingand. A lot of research and testing went into the final version. The head of banqueting explains: "We changed the broth three times to finally make a mix between vegetable and animal" A cassole was also lent by the organization, "It's very important to use this glazed terracotta dish." The importance of breaking the crust According to the chefs, the most important step in the recipe is the gratin. The cassoulet must be baked several times: "We bake it once, break the crust and bake it seven more times". Nicolas Ferrand explains the previous steps: "The cassoulet is assembled with all the meats in layers: a layer of beans, then beans mixed with rind, pork shoulder, shank, pork belly, Toulouse sausage and duck confit." For the competition, the two Lyonnais didn't have access to on-site kitchens. So they vacuum-packed their preparations. "A handicap turned into a strength", smile the chefs. during cooking, the white beans absorb the broth and fat from the duck confit, rind and sausage. It's this alchemy that gives cassoulet just the right amount of fat and flavor. Nicolas Ferrand explains: "All traditional stews that require a lot of cooking are even better when cooled and reheated. There's a new exchange of flavors that creates an osmosis". Today, the two cooks offer "la cassole pampa" on the menu of their restaurant. "A revisited version of the cassoulet with South American flavors, with rind, a tangy, spicy chicken broth that spices up the Tarbais beans, and chicharrón, pork belly marinated in spices and fried. With coriander and red onion. It's crunchy and comforting!" enthuses Timothée Deguingand.

Read

Food & Health

Forgotten fish: an underestimated treasure for our plates and our oceans

Christopher Coutanceau, chef-fisherman in La Rochelle, explains why we should abandon salmon and cod for "less noble" species such as horse mackerel and sardines.

Read

Food & Health

Chandeleur: 10 chefs' spreads to try out

With Chandeleur just around the corner, chefs are invading the world of spreads with unique creations in a variety of flavors. Discover a gourmet selection to enhance your crêpes.

Read