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This recipe calls for both "true" artichokes — known botanically as globe artichokes — and Jerusalem artichokes, which are actually an unrelated root vegetable (sometimes called Sun Chokes). In the soup, the Jerusalem artichokes enhance the flavor of the leafed variety. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 hr

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional sitting time.

It’s unclear just who the Louis of Crab Louis salad fame was; perhaps he was affiliated with the Olympic Club in Seattle, where opera star Enrico Caruso, who visited there in 1904, is said to have fallen in love with the crab salad. San Francisco also claims the dish, which reached its zenith there in the teens, as a specialty at Solari’s restaurant and at the St. Francis Hotel.

Oranges are prized on Cyprus. They're used with delicious results in this pork dish, reminiscent of the cuisine on the northern side of the island.

This is a great summer salad, perfect with all kinds of barbecue and grilled foods. It's also a wonderful way to brighten up a winter dinner of broiled chicken or beef.

It's very important to use small oysters — such as Kumamoto or Prince Edward Island — in this soup. The oysters themselves (not the shell) should be no more than 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. When we tested the recipe with larger ones, the flavor was much too briny.

Laura Trevino of Washington, D.C., writes: "This hearty chowder is the perfect thing for a chilly evening. Serve it with dark beer and crusty bread or oyster crackers."

What to drink: Offer a Pinot Grigio with these toasts.

Crisp rounds of potato are layered with wild mushrooms in this hearty dish. Prepare both galettes in the morning, then reheat them after the turkey comes out of the oven.

Offer with artichoke hearts, olives, and salami.

The salsa has a nice balance of sweet and spicy flvaors and is a perfect compliment to purchased frozen spring rolls or egg rolls.

"My husband and I were married at the Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Stateline, Nevada," writes Janie Cloutier of South Lake Tahoe, California, "and we celebrate our wedding anniversary at the restaurant there every year. The crab cakes are superb." These crab cakes are loaded with fresh crabmeat, which gives them a delicate texture.

These fritters are called akara in Nigeria and Sierra Leone, and akla or koosé in Ghana. They're eaten as a snack, side dish, or breakfast, served with a hot pepper relish (ata). We think they make a great hors d'oeuvre. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 9 hr (includes soaking time)

Make this the centerpiece of an hors d'oeuvre platter that includes crackers, breadsticks, cornichons, and olives.

Dollops of cinnamon-flavored sour cream top this luscious soup.

Finnan Haddie Gratin Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 2 1/4 hr

"My husband and I just returned from a trip to Italy," writes Kim Riemann of North Brunswick, New Jersey. "Of all the great meals we had there, a few stand out in my memory. One was at Buca Mario in Florence. The rosemary-scented bean soup was unforgettable." Serve this with a drizzle of olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

This soup can be pureed by pressing it through a strainer or a food mill. It can also be pureed in a blender and then strained.

If you’d like to serve a sauce alongside, strain 1/4 cup of the cooled pickling liquid, and whisk it with 1 cup of mayonnaise. For ease, the shrimp are left unpeeled; if you peel them before cooking, leave the tails on.