Microwave Oven

I know the microwave oven is frowned upon in many foodie kitchens; however, I am not ashamed to say that I use mine constantly. It melts chocolate, reheats coffee, and makes boiling water for tea a cinch. To melt chocolate (or butter) in the microwave, use short bursts of low power, regularly removing the ingredient to stir it, then repeating the process until it is fully melted. If you don’t have a microwave, no worries; you can melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler.