Fall

The lavish efforts involved — the vegetables are braised, then marinated, and finally sautéed — result in a succulent savory casserole that's spicy with pepper and juniper berries and sweet and sour with cherry nectar and vinegar; each vegetable gives the sweet and sour a slightly different twist. The chestnuts, cooked with salt pork, are particularly wonderful, salty and satisfying. Begin preparations at least 7 hours ahead of serving, since the vegetables must marinate for 6 hours.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The secret to the light and flaky crust is cream cheese. For an extra-special presentation, cut out decorative shapes from the dough scraps, and arrange them on the pie after glazing it; brush cutouts with glaze and bake.

Watch how to prepare and carve your bird with our streaming video demonstration.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The sap of maple trees was being used by Native Americans when the very earliest European immigrants arrived. Then it was an all-purpose seasoning, like salt, enlivening the austere diet. Now, with the refinement achieved by boiling and concentrating the flavor of the sap, maple syrup is a uniquely American sweetener. Here it adds just the right subtle note to a colorful puree of butternut squash.

A mixture of prosciutto, rosemary and plenty of garlic rubbed under the skin of the turkey gives it a distinctively delicious taste. True garlic lovers can squeeze some of the pan-roasted garlic into the gravy for even more flavor. Begin the meal with an appetizer of chilled shrimp with lemon and dill, and offer a radicchio salad as a first course. Pour a Chianti Classico Riserva.

I love many versions of baked stuffed tomatoes, but the simple recipe of Torquato Innocenti, who sells tomatoes in Florence's Piazza Santo Spirito market, is my favorite. Nothing more than garlic, basil or parsley, and "good oil" fills the tomatoes.

The primary difference between this kugel recipe and the traditional is its use of dairy, which would make it inappropriate at a meal with meat on the menu for those who observe kosher dietary laws.

Swirl a little cream decoratively into each bowl of soup for an elegant presentation.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Makes use of the microwave oven.

Two new flavors enhance a classic.

In this recipe we call for a 10 1/2- by 7- by 1-inch rectangular tart pan with a removable fluted rim; you could instead use a 10- by 1-inch round tart pan with a removable rim. The cornmeal makes a tender, delicate crust.