Make Ahead

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

While the meringue topping of this pretty tart is light, the lemon, orange and lime custard filling has an appealing richness.

In this recipe there will be extra mousse and pecan crisps (the recipes will not work if reduced). Both elements are delicious on their own.

Cardamom adds a lovely accent to the compote and the filling, which is made with soft farmer cheese for creamy texture.

Anchovies, capers, olives and sun-dried tomatoes enhance the delicious butter. It is also good melted over grilled fish or chicken.

The following dish was a popular choice for bridge luncheons in the 1960s.

This recipe requires a little advance planning — the yogurt will need to drain for at least 8 hours.

Set bowls of mixed nuts around the backyard, and serve the salad with glasses of chilled Beaujolais wine.

For this recipe you will need 25 fluted molds, 2 1/2 inches across the top, 1 1/2 inches across the bottom, and 1 inch deep. Molds are available at some cookware shops and by mail order from Bridge Kitchenware, (800) 274-3435 or (212) 838-1901.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Cornmeal in the crust gives a nice contrast to the creamy filling in this dessert.

The plump ravioli called pansoti ("little bellies"), a Ligurian specialty, are often dressed with a walnut sauce. We strayed from tradition a bit and tucked the walnuts into the filling instead. Be sure to buy pancetta that's well marbled: If it's too lean, it won't render enough fat to flavor the filling. Also, brown the onions well — the caramelization lends a depth and richness that's essential to this dish.

The classic cold soup, as interpreted by Ouro Branco restaurant, Vila Viçosa, Portugal.

Mensaf This recipe, adapted from Kathy Sullivan and Janine El Tal, international educators and longtime residents of Jordan, is a scaled-down version of that country's national dish, which is usually served in large quantities at important gatherings. Mensaf is eaten standing up, using the right hand to form a little ball of rice and meat. Traditionally, jameed, a ball of reconstituted sun-dried yogurt, is used to make the sauce, but it is replaced here by regular plain yogurt that has been stabilized (with egg white and cornstarch) for cooking. Buy the richest, tangiest yogurt you can find. Active time: 55 min Start to finish: 3 1/2 hr

One bread that Swedish settlers brought to the heartland was limpa; these twists are a nice twist on that classic.

For a nice gift, simply decorate the jars with gold ribbon, and attach tags that include the rewarming instructions. Or pack a basket with a jar of this sauce, Coffee-Caramel Sauce , an ice cream scoop and four or six sundae goblets.