Grilling in the Stone and Steel Age

Reading your article (“Summertime’s for Grillin’,” May 30) brought many a chuckle. The “grill” my mother and I constructed back in the 1950s was so basic that by today’s standards, it would be almost nonexistent.

We found a huge stainless steel colander at an Army and Navy store which service cooks used to wash lettuce, prepare salads and drain potatoes. We lined the side with foil. Smooth stones (picked up from beside the railroad tracks) were washed and placed in the bottom. A neat pile of charcoal briquettes was put over the stones and lit, bringing a nice glow. A large round rack fit snugly over the top. We plopped steaks, chops, hot dogs, burgers, whatever, on the rack and-- voila! --a working barbecue grill. And the cost? A whole lot cheaper than today’s models.

It’s gathering dust, but that do-it-yourself grill still sits on a shelf in my garage with a bag of the original stones and lots of memories.

LOYOLA M. BANNON

Huntington Park