You can't beat heat for turning up taste in nuts
Toasting nuts is quick and easy and significantly intensifies their flavors.
The only tricky part is that some varieties, especially pine nuts, can turn from perfect one minute to too dark the next, so keep an eye on them.
Spread nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet and toast them in a preheated 350-degree oven.
Remove them when they've turned slightly darker in color and begin to perfume the kitchen.
They'll continue to darken slightly after being removed from the heat, so take that into account
Toasting time varies dramatically.
Many varieties will take less than 10 minutes, but whole almonds, for example, require about 30 minutes in the oven, according to "Nuts: A Cookbook" (Fireside, $18).
Pine nuts may need only 4 or 5 minutes.
Allow the nuts to cool before adding them to salads or batters.
Nuts also can be toasted in a dry skillet on top of the stove over medium-high heat
Shake the pan or stir frequently.