c/o Christina Tosi, Getty Images

Chef: Christina Tosi (Milk Bar, New York & Washington, DC)

How she uses it: "I always keep a pound of really nice butter (like Plugra) in my fridge. Unsalted butter allows me to control the level of salt in the final product, and European style means the dairy is cultured before being churned so it's DEEP in flavor compared to the "regular stuff." Baking nearly always means pulling out the butter to start. In my everyday kitchen, butter is a must-have power player. I use it to grease muffin tins, sauté veggies, pan fry, bake a pound cake, or whip up a batch of pancakes. When I want something to have a little extra something, I brown the butter first for a toasty, nutty, complex flavor. One of my favorite recipes to make is a hand-me-down recipe from my grandma for her famous oatmeal cookies. The oats shine behind the deeply soulful butter flavor. I never skimp on butter quality, in the Milk Bar kitchen or at home — it's an important part of what makes a baked good or roast chicken unstoppable."