Fall

The fruity flavors of pear nectar and Port enchance a sage-accented gravy. Pour a rich Pinot Noir throughout the meal. Watch how to prepare and carve your bird with our streaming video demonstration.

Root vegetables became a mainstay of the New England diet. The crops grew well during the summer and could be stored in barrels of sand or in root cellars to keep through the long winter. This spectacular casserole has potatoes, parsnips, turnips and carrots, and is sweetened with just a hint of pear. The pureed vegetables are swirled together in the baking dish to create a pretty marbled effect.

"Here is a simple dish I came up with that is especially good during the cold months, as the chipotle chiles can be pretty fiery," says B. Fairbrother of Chicago, Illinois. "My Mexican neighbors were the inspiration."

(Purée de Pommes de Terre, de Topinambours, et de Céleri-rave) At the market in Le Neubourg, not far from where I live in Normandy, each Wednesday farmers bring out their produce in a panoply that directly mirrors the seasons. This dish, which I make with vegetables from that market, is a celebration of fall. Farmers in Le Neubourg are really mostly market gardeners or truck farmers, or maraîchers. They and others like them are the backbone of the French agricultural system, providing from their small plots the best and the freshest produce in the country. Because they are small and sell direct, they can grow a wide variety of vegetables, which is why I can find Jerusalem artichokes alongside potatoes and celery root, dandelion greens, and wild mushrooms gathered in the surrounding woods. Though the vegetables in this dish are unglamorous, the balance here is luscious, rich, and satisfying.

We've combined two holiday heavy hitters — chestnut stuffing and sausage stuffing — into one delicious dish. We call for bacon in addition to fresh pork to bring in a bit of smokiness.

This recipe is a yummy one-pot entrée from The Elements of Taste, by Gray Kunz and Peter Kaminsky. The secret here is browning the meat.

Pork, always a favorite in the Midwest and the South, gained popularity early in the century. Immigrants from pork-loving countries such as Germany and Poland were crowding the cities and finding that fresh pork, a luxury back home, was abundant and affordable. Recipes of the time called for pan-frying chops, covering them with apples and baking them for an hour or so. But that would leave today’s pork, which is less fatty, very dry. Here, brining is the trick for making pork chops flavorful and juicy.

Legend has it that these cornmeal and molasses rolls are named for a New England fisherman's curse on his wife: "Anna, damn her!" Regardless of what she may have done to upset her spouse, she was a great baker.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

If you like fried chicken with cream gravy, you'll love this sauce —sophisticated and rich, with a bit of sweet fruitiness from the Madeira. It's a wonderful alternative to traditional pan gravy. You'll have to choose between this gravy or the cider sage version for the holiday meal, as you'll need the neck and giblets as well as the pan drippings for this recipe.

For centuries, the French have been braising duck as a way to tenderize it, whether the duck was wild or tame (use only farm-raised duck in the recipe below). The slight bitterness of turnips nicely offsets the flavorful meat rich but simple sauce. The appropriate wine choice here would be French-splurge a bit for the season and pour a good Burgundy or Chablis with this.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.