Setting the dial perfectly

Perfectly Toasted

A just-right piece of toast seems to be something that I can only achieve by eliminating all distractions, putting aside multitasking, and staring unceasingly at the contents of the toaster oven. It's typically an English muffin upon which I'm focused. Too little time and it results in warm, soft, somewhat yeasty bread. Too much time, and it's a hot, charred waste.

Here's the thing: the time between under-done and over-done is about seven seconds. Really. Seven seconds. And the imprecise control knob on my toaster oven mocks me as I try in vain to find the one to two rotational degrees that will put me within the window of excellence.

There are some new appliances that have separate toasting dials or even digital timers that offer a greater degree of control. But for me, I think I'll use my toasting experience as a small opportunity to practice attentiveness and patience. Finding a moment like that amidst a chaotic day is probably a good thing. Happy toasting!