Toast

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from The Skinny: How to Fit Into Your Little Black Dress Forever by Melissa Clark and Robin Aronson. Use a soft whole grain loaf for this recipe — anything crusty or crunchy would distract from the smooth, custardy texture of the French toast. Papayas are an underappreciated fruit that deserve more play. We chose to pair them with this recipe because their juicy, bright flavor is a nice contrast to the fried bread, and, well, because we love them. But feel free to substitute whatever fruit you like.

Salty, crunchy bites, tasting of the sea, complement the lobster gelées' delicate, melting texture.

Hearty and full of flavor, these open-face egg sandwiches (large crostini) are even great for dinner.

This creation from Salvatore Marino, chef at Il Grano in Los Angeles, is the perfect finger food: tasty and healthy.

It's amazing how much buttery goodness is packed into the craggy holes of these little nibbles. Their crunchy texture makes them ideal for dipping into soft-cooked egg yolks.

Breaking down the season's freshest tomatoes and piling them on sourdough toast creates a simple and flavorful first course.

In French, the term tartine can refer to a buttered slice of bread that's topped with a spread, or an open-faced sandwich, such as the one here. Piment d'Espelette, a dried red pepper from the French Basque region, can be found online at surfasonline.com. If you can't find fresh sardines, use trout or branzino fillets instead.

Straight anchovy butter can be intense (indeed, we've given a range on the anchovies, so salt fiends can indulge), but the toasted, ground fennel seeds make these crunchy hors d'oeuvres taste clean, not heavy. Roasted red peppers add a burst of juicy sweetness and a hint of smokiness.

Goat cheese makes a lovely base for fresh herbs, carrying their flavor and punctuating their brightness with its gentle tang; in this spread, it tastes particularly mild because of the little bit of whipped cream folded in. Take the cheese out to soften before heading for the farmers market, and by the time you get back, it will be ready to mix with whatever herbs you've found there.

Favas lend a fresh note here. For the most robust flavor, use tuna packed in olive oil rather than water.

Improv: Substitute lemon peel for the orange peel, and cinnamon for the cardamom.

La Merenda di Victor When my husband was a schoolboy in Bologna, his favorite afternoon merenda was a crusty slice of grilled bread that his grandmother would top with Parmesan cheese and olive oil. It doesn't need a recipe, just a description.

Almonds browned in butter bring a nutty crunch to classic French toast.

For brunch or a light supper, this open-face sandwich is spicy and satisfying.

If you can't find burrata, substitute fresh whole-milk mozzarella.