Spring

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

The secret to a perfect brûlée crust is using both the turbinado sugar and a blowtorch.

Artichokes, an Old World food, came to America with Italian immigrants and found a happy home in the near-Mediterranean climate of California. As "ethnic" fare, artichokes took their time catching on outside the Golden State. They finally did in the thirties and became something of a fad. Artichokes were not limited to the vegetable course, either. Sometimes the center "choke" was scooped out and the hollow filled with a stuffing for a fashionable light lunch entrée.

"There are three recipes I like for strawberry jam," says Caroline Bates. "My mother’s long-cooked one may be too much trouble for some people; the sun-cooked version is impractical for city dwellers ('First, find a sunny rooftop....'). But this soft strawberry jam (also my mother’s) is simpler and good, too." Its flavor depends on the berries' being fully sweet, completely ripe yet firm, and with not a trace of white near the stem. Such berries have less pectin than underripe ones, so the jam will be loose. Just spoon it out of a jar and dribble it on biscuits.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A simple salad with a tangy dressing-perfect for and April picnic.

The dumplings can be assembled and chilled up to eight hours before steaming.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. When blood oranges are out of season, you can use any type of seedless orange.

A magnificent centerpiece for Easter dinner.

This recipe calls for giant 4 1/2- to 5-ounce prawns, which can be ordered from some specialty fish markets. If unavailable, substitute 24 large prawns.

This is a lovely, low-fat version of a classic English fruit dessert.

Here's another old-fashioned dessert that's on the come back trail.

"One evening my husband made fantastic asparagus roasted with olive oil," says Anne Graziano of New York, New York. "It prompted me to create this salad that features the asparagus, as well as Gruy
re cheese, apple and fresh greens."

The recado is a dry rub that gives a burst of flavor to almost any meat or vegetable but is particularly wonderful on beef and corn.

A beautiful and elegant dessert that has lots of great berry flavor.