Summary
In this episode of "Stuff You Should Know," the hosts discuss the topic of toast. They begin by sharing their experience of taking a break and hitting the one million dollar mark for CoEd, a cooperative for education that helps break the cycle of poverty in Guatemala. They then move on to discuss the history of toast, which dates back to ancient Egypt. The Greeks and Romans are believed to have stolen the idea from the Egyptians and named it "toastum," which means scorched. The hosts also talk about the different variations of toast, including cinnamon toast, which was invented in Naples, Italy. They end the episode by discussing their personal preferences for toast and its various toppings, expressing their love for toast and considering it to be one of the pinnacles of human cookery.
The context also covers the different types of toast-based dishes that were popular in Victorian England, including Welsh rarebit, bone marrow toast, toast sandwiches, toast water, and milk toast. The text mentions the history of making toast, including the use of toasting forks and the invention of electric toasters. Additionally, it highlights the use of toast racks for serving toast.
The hosts also discuss the history and innovation of toasters, including the benefits of using a toast rack to avoid moisture and condensation on toast. They mention the invention of nichrome, a nickel and chromium composite used in heating coils in toasters and other appliances. The hosts discuss the first mass-marketed commercial toaster, the GE D12, and the invention of the pop-up toaster by Charles Strite. They also discuss the modern method of toasting using a switch made of two metals that expand at different rates and break the circuit, rather than a timer. The hosts share their love for conveyor belt toasters and the expensive Balmuta toaster that uses steam to toast bread.
The hosts go on a tangent about the inventor of the toaster, Alan McMasters, who was actually a fake person created as a joke on Wikipedia. They also discuss the Maillard reaction, which is the chemical reaction that gives toast its taste and aroma. They then talk about different types of toast from around the world, including Kaya toast from Singapore and Malaysia, fatunta from Italy, toscoggin from Sweden, fairy bread from Australia, and pancon tomate from Spain.
The hosts also discuss the toast craze that happened in the United States less than a decade ago, which gave us avocado toast. They talk about the origin of the word "toast" as a verb and how it became associated with holding up a glass and saying something nice about somebody else. They end the episode with a heartwarming listener mail from a mother and son who make the podcast part of their nightly routine. Overall, the episode is a fun and informative discussion about the history, innovation, and love for toast.
