Bon Appétit

No fluff in a jar — this is the real deal.

All-American hot fudge gets a jolt of flavor from ground coffee beans.

The sweetness of this brittle is balanced by a sprinkling of salt.

No need to peel the peaches — the peel provides great color, texture, and flavor. Just gently rub off the peach fuzz with a kitchen towel.

Cherry pie is traditionally made with hard-to-find tart pie cherries. In this version, fresh Bing cherries combine with dried tart cherries, preserved Morello cherries, and whole spices to create a deep red, intensely flavored pie. Look for Morello cherries in light syrup at Trader Joe's markets and online at amazon.com.

Look for fish that's 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. It sounds counterintuitive, but farmed fish is a better choice when raised inland, in recirculating water (rather than in crowded netpens in the wild). At the market, ask your fishmonger where the fish comes from.

To turn this starter into a main course, top it with skewers of grilled shrimp.

Make this pie the night before — it takes just minutes to put together. If you don't want to think that far ahead, serve the sauce over scoops of ice cream.

Use one, two, or all three toppings.

The light custard is quick to make, but it has to be prepared just before it's served.

Here's a secret to sweeten your summer. This syrup is easy to make, and because the sugar is dissolved, it blends easily in Margaritas and other cocktails. Try it in iced tea and lemonade, too.