Today's toast doesn't compare...

I cut it in half and placed it in the toaster but forgot to turn the timer down. Before you could say burnt toast the fire alarm went off. That’s when I went back in time to the days when millions toasted their bread with a toasting fork. No fire alarms then, you could toast to your hearts delight.

The coal fire and toasting fork where made for bread especially if you had beef or pork dripping to spread it on, luxury. At school in the metal work class you could make a poker or a toasting fork. If you had an older brother he would have already made one so you had no choice. The cost was a shilling paid before the item left the school.

Today’s toast doesn’t compare with coal fire toast there’s something lacking. Perhaps one day on the antiques road show our old toasting fork will appear and perhaps it’s worth a Kings’ Ransom.

Then again a shilling toasting fork might not be worth much but by ‘eck the smell and taste of coal fire toast is.

R Billups, East Avenue, Rawmarsh