Lemon

"My boyfriend just introduced me to Ledbetters', a breakfast restaurant in nearby New Milford," writes Lawren Hubal of Monroe, Connecticut. "Every morning, owners Julie and David Ledbetter make scones, and the lemon-poppy seed ones are out of this world. I'd love to make those scones at home."

Lemon juice and peel offer a double punch of flavor in this delicious dish. Serve the risotto Italian-style as a first course, or American-style as a main course.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 9 hr

Active time: 35 min Start to finish:50 min

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 5 hr If you decide to use fresh pumpkin purée for this cake, be sure you drain it for the full eight hours we recommend in the procedure.

This cookie launched a thousand memories—and a literary masterpiece—for Marcel Proust. The group enjoys madeleines with tea, just as the narrator did in Swann's Way.

"A few weeks before my best friend’s wedding in San Francisco, I flew into town for her bridal shower," writes Constance Stevenson of Portland, Oregon. "The luncheon was catered by Thymes Two Catering. For dessert, they served an elegant blueberry and lemon layer cake with a tangy lemon frosting."

Serve this dish on a bed of orzo to capture every drop of the tart, creamy sauce. After trimming and slicing each artichoke, immediately place the quarters in the pot of lemony water so that they won't turn brown. What to drink: Sauvignon Blanc.

The halibut is delicious with sautéed green beans and steamed new potatoes. End with espresso granita or ice cream with grappa.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min

I love these preserves because they're both tart and sweet. For the best color, choose true-red sour cherries. Darker varieties — those that resemble Bing cherries — will make darker preserves, which will also be delicious. The cherries are steeped overnight in sugar, which deepens their flavor and helps them to stay plump. Kernels from the cherry pits (tied in a cheesecloth bag) add an almondy note to the preserves. Active time: 2 1/4 hr Start to finish: 1 day (plus 1 day for flavors to develop)

These nut meringues are also called erstesternen ("first stars"), a reference to the heavenly signs indicating the end of a fast day. They are traditionally served by German Jews at the meal following Yom Kippur.

Begin making this one day before serving.

I've always found lemon curd too sweet and heavy on its own. Folded into whipped cream, however, it makes a wonderful pie filling.