Lemon

Store-bought mayonnaise just doesn't compare to the flavor of homemade aïoli. However, if you're short on time or concerned about using raw egg (see cooks' note, below), you could substitute prepared mayo: Just omit the egg yolk and oil, and stir together with remaining ingredients until combined well. This recipe is an accompaniment for Poached Halibut with Saffron Orange Aïoli. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

A delicious entrée that's easy enough for a weekday dinner, yet pretty enough for a dinner party. Serve with: Stir-fried summer squash and red peppers, couscous salad, and seeded Italian bread.

This salad is so much lighter and fresher-tasting than mayonnaise-based versions. It gets crispy sweetness from sugar snaps and peppers and nuttiness from tahini. Keep in mind that tahini can turn rancid rather quickly (even in unopened cans, in our experience). We recommend buying it from a place with a high turnover, such as a Middle Eastern market or a natural foods store. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 hr

The honey is optional because some carrots are sweeter than others. Taste the salad, then decide whether to drizzle.

A fusion of flavors and technique from two cuisines makes this main course taste new. The cooking method is based on an Italian fricassea made with egg yolks and cream; the combination of favas and mint is Middle Eastern. The resulting dish is absolutely delicious. Serve with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

A whole mackerel or bluefish is about 2 feet long, so you will just be able to fit it on an angle in a large rectangular gas grill or a wide oven; see cooks' notes, below. You might want to measure your grill (or oven) before choosing a fish to make sure you'll have enough room. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 hr

The flavorful olive salad is also nice with sea bass, red snapper or tuna. Serve with steamed new potatoes, and uncork a Sauvignon Blanc to go with dinner.

Here's a sophisticated combination of homemade blackberry gelatin layered with vanilla cream. Make the gelatin at least one day ahead so that it has time to set.

Some fresh ginger adds zip to this bakeshop classic. It has the perfect balance of sweetness and spice.

Come September, I prepare this cake often, taking advantage of whatever clusters of grapes I can find on our vines after harvesting. At Chanteduc, we grow a mixture of Grenache, Syrah, and Morvèdre grapes, each of which contributes its own personality to the wine and to this cake. I love the rustic crunch that seeded grapes impart, and so I also recommend trying Zinfandel, Cornith, and Cabenet grapes. For seedless grapes, try Red Flame. The original recipe was given to me by Rolando Beramendi at Italy's fine Tuscan estate Capezzna, where this intriguing not-too-sweet cake appears frequently at the table during the fall harvest. Note that the cake is prepared with half butter and half olive oil, producing an unusually light and moist cake.

(Arrosto di Agnello alla Toscana) Roasted meats are simple by definition, and in Tuscany they are not just simple, but pure and filled with flavor, too. Lamb is one of the Tuscans' favorite meats to roast. The seasonings in this recipe reflect the Tuscan countryside, with its wild rosemary and the aroma of garlic in the air. Though garlic is ever-present in the cooking, it is generally used in moderation so that it doesn't overpower the other flavors.

"My husband and I celebrated two of our anniversaries at the restaurant in the Morrison-Clark Inn, in Washington, DC, and enjoyed the experience both times." says Michelle M. Berberet of Alexandria, Virginia. "We are especially fond of the lemon chess pie. Do you think you can get the recipe, or is it a state secret?" It's no state secret—pastry chef Sol Schott was happy to share. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr