Bon Appétit

The most floral and flirty cocktail we've had this year.

A classic served at Musso & Frank. Think of it as a Bloody Mary minus tomato juice.

This little-known classic cocktail is a leaner, crisper spin on the Negroni.

The delicate, tendriled texture of frisée is essential to the slaw. Round out the lettuce mix with a selection of chicories. What to drink: Barbera d'Alba from the Piedmont region of Italy pairs well with this first course.

Harold J. Bigley of New York, New York, writes: "A few months ago I went to a party in The Hamptons catered by Loaves & Fishes in Sagaponack. The veal chops with polenta were outstanding. Could you get the recipe?" Ask your butcher to french (trim the fat from) the bone end of the veal rib chops.

TREND: Deconstructed desserts (breaking down a dish into its essential components, then serving the parts as a whole) WHO: Gale Gand, pastry chef at Tru in Chicago and host of Sweet Dreams on the Food Network WHAT: The elements of Black Forest Cake — chocolate cake and pudding, cherries, whipped cream, and kirsch — are reimagined as sensuous, separate bites and sips.

Shari Ledwidge of Greenehaven, Arizona, writes: "My husband and I spend several weeks each year traveling around the United States. Our journeys always take us to wonderful food stands and farmers' markets, which have inspired some of my favorite recipes."

TREND: Exotically flavored chocolate WHO: Katrina Markoff, CEO of Vosges Haut-Chocolat in Chicago WHAT: Markoff, one of the first to infuse chocolate with unexpected ingredients, named this Asian-tinged creation after one of her most popular truffles. Its Japanese flavors — ginger, wasabi, and black sesame seeds — are the building blocks for an inspired cake.

We have a renewed appreciation for the beauty, taste, and health-giving properties of the pomegranate lately, and its molasses (made by cooking the juice down to a sweet-tart syrup) delivers just what we are looking for in an ingredient these days: bold, clear, complex flavor. Used in this go-with for the chops, it brings new meaning to "sweet-and-sour pork." Pomegranate molasses is available at some supermarkets and Middle Eastern markets and by mail from Adriana's Caravan (800-316-0820; adrianascaravan.com).

Evelyn Herring of Laguna Woods, California, writes: "My mother was raised in Scotland and learned to cook at a time when quality ingredients were hard to come by. She had to be imaginative, often substituting ingredients and improvising recipes. My own cooking has become Americanized over the years, but I still rely on her recipes. They're easy and always taste as good as the first time I tried them." Crushed gingersnap cookies, marmalade, and raisins set this pie apart from the American version.

TREND: Roasted fruit WHO: Diane Rossen Worthington, author of The Taste of the Season: Inspired Recipes for Fall and Winter WHAT: Cooks have known for ages that roasting completely transforms meat and vegetables, taking them to new depths of flavor. Fruit is now getting the treatment, and this winter comfort dessert comes from a cookbook author who really knows about cold-weather cooking.

Pink peppercorns add a lovely floral note to this pretty dessert.

The subtle citrus notes in this dark chocolate tart come from pink grapefruit and blood orange zests. It has a sublime buttery shortbread crust. Do-aheads: filled tart, 2 days; candied citrus peel, 1 week.