Fall

Tina Thompson of Orlando, Florida, writes: "Food and nostalgia are closely related in my mind. When I miss my dad, I make an extra-buttery grilled-cheese sandwich just the way he would every Saturday for lunch. When I miss my college roommate Jenny, I splurge on a new ethnic food to remind me of adventures during our junior year abroad in London. Inspired by my great food experiences there, I attended a small cooking school stateside so that I could come up with some fantastic meals of my own."

As American cities filled up in the early part of the twentieth century, new urbanites learned to make the most of small apartment kitchens by using recipes that yielded a lot of food with little bother. Roast beef with vegetables filled the bill. Cattle, raised on enormous western ranches, and beef were moved efficiently around the country on the transcontinental railroad system, so the meat was cheap and plentiful. A spice rub and cilantro make this roast especially appealing.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Tomatoes from the garden are put to good use in this salad.

From being a regional dish from Piedmont in Italy, osso buco has caught the imagination worldwide. Thick slices from the veal shank with its central marrow bone are key to osso buco, so that the meat remains moist and becomes tender enough to fall from the bone. When the dish is cooked ahead, the flavor will deepen and mellow. As for the curious gremolata flavoring of garlic, parsley, and lemon, I myself like to add a generous sprinkling to my veal at the table, although purists use only just enough for a delicate nuance. Risotto milanese, flavored with veal stock and saffron is the classic accompaniment. Wine for Cooking Gavi di Gavi (sometimes labeled as cortese di Gavi) is Piedmont's best-known white wine. Gavi is no longer inexpensive, however, and oyu might do just as well with an Italian chardonnay, which is rapidly supplanting cortese as the most widely planted white grape in Piedmont. Wine to Drink When osso buco reaches the table, an authoritative red from Piedmont is in order — a mature barolo or barbaresco, whose bouquet and will match the complexity of this Italian classic.

We like serving these chewy, moist almond cakes, which are based on the financier, a French pastry, in individual gratin dishes, but the batter can also be baked in a 9-inch glass pie plate for 30 to 35 minutes.

The following corn bread is not to be eaten on its own; it's meant for stuffing, so we've deliberately made it dry.

This silky puree can be made one day ahead. What to drink: That's easy — offer guests Irish ale throughout the meal.

In addition to assorted mustards, offer the pickled onions, tomato salsa, and pineapple relish. Hot dog buns can stand in for the pita, and bagged lettuce is an easy option. What to drink: Beer and lemonade will quench everyone's thirst.

Assemble these four hours ahead, and rewarm them 20 minutes before serving.