Turkey Tracks: September 21, 2020
Toaster Warning
I can’t eat bread. I think it is the yeast more than the gluten. But who knows? So I’ve been toasting a small corn tortilla and using that like bread or a cracker. I can spread butter or a soft goat cheese on the tortilla or melt some mozzarella cheese on it in the big oven. (I’m so happy I’ve gotten these two cheeses back recently. And eggs. I think it is the quercetin I’m taking.)
BUT, the other night I almost set the kitchen on fire with a toaster that either malfunctioned or let a corn tortilla catch fire.
In a split second, the flames were nearly a foot high—I kid you not. And the toaster was located beneath a kitchen cabinet. I had to unplug the toaster and put it in the sink—flames and all—and douse it REPEATEDLY with water from the sink faucet. So scary!
To make sure there would be no more drama, I put the toaster outside on the grass when the fire stopped.
No more toasters—and I am so lucky I was just standing in the kitchen when this fire started. I live out in the country, and there are NO fire hydrants or water beyond whatever a pumper fire truck brings. My house would have had a serious fire or burned down if I had not been standing right there in the kitchen.
I ordered a toaster oven, which will come soon. I think a toaster oven will be a safer choice. And, yes, I have a rule that I never leave the kitchen or that floor of my house when a pot is on the stove. When I turn off flames under a pot, I move the pot off the burner to make sure the gas is off. And now I will never again have a toaster in my house again.
And I would suggest that none of you put something in a toaster or a toaster oven and leave the room.
I have noticed—and written about it here—that today’s toasters and way too many appliances are total junk. I have not been able to find a toaster in our markets that is like the old toasters we used to be able to get. I am old enough now at 75 to make this comparison. I have tried expensive, and I have tried cheap. None of them work well or last. So I truly think this toaster went whacky in some fundamental way. The handle where one pushes to start the heat was “funky” when I started the tortilla.
Believe me, I am saying prayers of blessings and thafter this incident.
Louisa Enright's Blog 
Yikes! Scary! So glad you are ok!! Best-jude
On Mon, Sep 21, 2020, 1:23 PM Louisa Enright’s Blog wrote:
> louisaenright posted: ” Turkey Tracks: September 21, 2020 Toaster Warning > I can’t eat bread. I think it is the yeast more than the gluten. But who > knows? So I’ve been toasting a small corn tortilla and using that like > bread or a cracker. I can spread butter or a soft” >
Glad you are safe.
My toaster has sat for years, next to the microwave on a small counter near the window. I have lace curtains on that window, and the window sill is just above where the toaster sits. The smoke alarm is directly across the room. English muffins are one of my husbands morning choices, and they really crumble, making a mess under the toaster along with in the tray. We know it is time to clean it when the smoke alarm goes off. The other morning I had a hard look at the “location” and decided to move it to another counter, away from those curtains. Now it is under a cupboard. Not a good option either. Time to do a bit more rearranging. Good safety tip. When I was a kid growing up in California, we would toast a tortilla right over the open gas flame on the stove. The other way to toast it was in an iron skillet, but it took way too long to heat the skillet up, so we would light the stove, grab a pair of tongs and toast for less than a minute on the open flame. Good luck with the new toaster oven.
Thanks. Forgot about toasted over an open flame. Will try that next. It works to just pop the tortilla into the oven, but the flame would be faster and would use less gas, etc. The new toaster oven is on the way. I agree that you should move the toaster away from the curtains. I have heard so many stories now about toasters and toaster ovens, for that matter, suddenly going up in flames. Oh my!!
Moved the toaster again yesterday ☺️