toast

Before we proceed, the instructions I'm about to expound upon are not for the most convenient way to make toast. Rather, this is how to make the platonic ideal of toast. While that is not to say that other methods are bad, unsatisfying, or wrong, you should follow these steps when nothing but the best will suffice.

Here's what you'll need:

• A toaster oven
• Your favorite bread
• The best unsalted butter you can get your hands on, at room temperature
• Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon or fleur de sel
• Jam, marmalade, or preserves (optional) if you're jonesing for a sweet and salty breakfast treat
• Black pepper (optional), for savory toast

The six steps to perfect toast:

1. Turn your toaster oven to the toast setting, place the slice of bread on the rack in the toaster oven, and toast until the bread has just begun to hint at browning.
2. Spread a generous pat of butter over every square inch of one side of the bread, nestling it in every nook and cranny.
3. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
4. Return the bread to the oven and cook until the butter is bubbly, the bread (and more importantly the butter) is a deep golden brown, and the bread is crisp on the outside, but tender inside.
5. Spread with jam or fruit (if using) for a sweet, salty, and buttery treat. Alternatively, dust with a few cracks of black pepper.
6. Enjoy, repeat, and tinker until you find your perfect toast formula.

Both bruschetta and crostini are Italian terms that relate to crispy bread. But what's the difference between the two of them?

Crostini translates to "little toasts" and generally refers to small pieces of bread that are baked. These toasts are then topped with a variety of ingredients like cheese, vegetables, meat, or seafood.

Bruschetta, on the other hand, is a larger piece of bread that is cooked over coals or a grill. Bruschetta can be rubbed with garlic and is traditionally served freshly charred. Like crostini, bruschetta can be topped with a wide range of items. What do you like to top yours with?

Photo by flickr user Jeffrey Beall

If you don't keep butter at room temperature, it can be pretty hard to spread it straight out of the fridge onto a piece of toast. That's why I've been employing my dad's easy technique for quickly melting butter between toast for years. Here's what you do:

1. Use a butter knife to cut a sliver or small pat of cold butter. Place on a piece of toast.
2. Cover with another piece of toast, creating a stack.
3. Wait a minute for the butter to melt. Move the top slice to the bottom. Wait another minute.
4. Once the butter is warm, spread to cover the toast with the knife.

How do you warm cold butter for toast?