Nancy Oakes

Fresh, sprightly — and so easy to make.

The base for the sauce can be prepared two days ahead; the pan juices from the Roasted Double Rack of Pork are added to it before serving.

With today's leaner pork, the traditional crown roast technique (which requires cutting between each rib chop to form the "crown") tends to produce overcooked meat before the bone end is done. So instead, ask the butcher to french the bones of two rib racks and present them back-to-back.

The roasting juices from the goose and balsamic vinegar make a lively sauce to accompany the rich meat.

To save a step, rather than making the Balsamic Pan Sauce , drizzle an aged artisanal balsamic vinegar (12-year-old "vecchio" or 25-year-old "extra vecchio") over the carved portions of the goose. This recipe must be started at least a day ahead.

White bread is perfect for bread pudding—as long as it's hand-formed and (preferably) unsliced, like the old-fashioned white here.

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

Our youth culture has even reached the green market: Baby vegetables are among the most sought-after produce, whether we buy them because they are sweeter and more tender than their full-grown counterparts or just because they look great on the plate. Seek out golden yellow, chioggia (an Italian heirloom variety that has white and pink rings inside), and Albino beets at farmers' markets.

This spoon bread is as tender as a soufflé but much simpler to make.

These popovers are like individual Yorkshire puddings. To make a dozen large popovers, just double the recipe and use two pans.

We recommend using a sturdy food mill (available at cookware stores) to help produce a thick stew base from simmered vegetables and fish. Alternatively, you can use a large heavy-duty mesh sieve to strain the seafood broth. Then push through enough fish and vegetables to make 13 cups of stew base. Serve cioppino with sourdough toasts.