Starter

In addition to the shiitake mushrooms called for here, look for morels, porcini or even button mushrooms, all of which are available during late spring early summer months.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 15 min

When my mother prepared this gloriously cheesy, spicy dip, the smells from the kitchen would waft throughout the house and drive us all crazy with anticipation. It's a perfect appetizer for guests, so if Mom was making it, that usually meant company for dinner, football Sundays, or a full-blown party (which wouldn't be complete without someone desperately licking the bowl clean).

If fresh chervil is unavailable in your area, substitute fresh basil leaves for the oil and garnish the mussels with tiny basil leaves.

A creamy sauce and a trio of caviars are the "dream" of this party dish. Buy the quality and quantity of caviar that fit your budget.

The delicate grapeseed oil in the dressing allows all the delicious flavors to come out. Regular vegetable oil can be substituted.

Ouzo lends a subtle flavor to the melon. Pour more over before serving, if desired.

Onioned Tuna Soup I first tasted this soup at La Canoa, a restaurant in Guayaquil, Ecuador. They prepared the tuna in the popular style of leaving it mostly rare, then they added it to the soup right before serving. When we serve the soup at the Patria, we use all the meaty trimmings from the tuna steaks we've served as full portions.

All of these fruits have lots of water in them, so I hold off on the salt, which will only draw out more water and make the dressing soupy. Pepper and basil lend a good kick. Have a bowl of coarse salt nearby if desired.

We topped these rolls with a combination of plain tobiko (flying-fish roe) as well as seasoned and wasabi-flavored tobiko and golden whitefish caviar. The specialty tobiko and caviar are available from the mail-order source given below.

Also try the salsa with some corn bread or scrambled eggs for a spicy treat.

Most people never think about cooking cucumber—especially since that crisp, raw crunch is so perfect for salads and canapés. But cucumber acquires a wonderful velvety texture when cooked and puréed, and this soup shows it off beautifully. Even better, the flavor and color of this soup are at their best when it is warm, not hot, which takes some of the stress out of serving ten guests.