Bon Appétit

Jeremiah Bacon, The Macintosh, Charleston, SC: "Infused simple syrup rounds out the flavor of cantaloupe for this quick dessert."

If you have a metal baking pan, use it; it will chill the mixture faster than a glass one. And remove the granita from the freezer when you scrape it—too much cold air will escape if you do this while the door's hanging open.

Once you've charred them, you can drizzle these eggplants with your best extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with some coarse salt for a simple side. But they're even better paired with one of the three luscious sauces (Yogurt and Sumac Sauce , Smoky Tomato Sauce , or Lemon-Mint Sauce ) and some grilled flatbread or pita.

Rinsing the cooked couscous stops the cooking and prevents it from sticking together as it cools.

Look for thicker fish fillets, which will give you the ideal breading-to-fish ratio.

Squeeze out as much liquid from the zucchini as possible.

Avoid rookie mistakes when it comes to barbecuing. If you apply the sauce too early, it will scorch. And most bottled sauces are too sweet, which is where this vinegary version comes in.

This spicy, sticky glazed chicken features sambal oelek, a bright and punchy chile-packed condiment, giving these grilled skewers a very convincing comeback.

Ryan Lowder, The Copper Onion, Salt Lake City: "The cantaloupes we get here are really sweet, so we counter that with savory flavors."

This drink is named for the Honolulu neighborhood where Town, Chef Kenney's restaurant, is located.

This bright vinaigrette is good for a lot more than just grilled eggplant.

Chef Kenney says that combining the herbs for the salsa verde with seaweed really gives this dish "that fresh-from- the-sea flavor." In Oahu, he uses just harvested limu, but hijiki, which is widely available, works well, too.

You can use this simple formula to wake up the Beer-Can Chicken , add another layer of flavor to the Barbecued Chicken , or sass up plenty of things that aren't poultry, like pork, steak, or vegetables.

Serving "green stuff" to kids can be a challenge. But a crunchy salad of bite-size vegetables holds plenty of appeal.

Keep a resealable bag of leftover Parmesan rinds in the freezer for recipes like this; they add great depth to tomato sauces and vegetable-centric soups, too.

Use a metal cake tester or thin paring knife to check the potatoes; they should still hold their shape but offer no resistance when pierced.

Fold cardamom-scented plum compote through a mixture of whipped cream and meringue; then freeze for an airy, creamy, sliceable summer dessert.

Chef Kenney often makes these crepe-like pancakes for his family on the weekend. He couldn't resist including them in this menu as a shout-out to Jack Johnson's 2005 song "Banana Pancakes."