When I was 10 years old, my dad threw out our toaster. To replace it, he cleared about 80 percent of our counter space for a large, steel industrial panini press. Suddenly, our kitchen felt less like our homey space and more like the industrial kitchens of restaurants. Growing up, my friends came over and ogled over the machine: the centerpiece of our kitchen, the shining star of our counter space, the replacement for the rusted, old toaster.

From that day on, everything from toaster waffles to grilled cheese was made in the press, and thus began my training as a panini connoisseur. Initially, I was a bit intimidated. What could this panini press do that my old toaster or a skillet with some butter couldn't have done? How would I use it? When would I approach it?