Bon Appétit

With no pastry crust to wrangle, these luscious parfaits of pumpkin mousse and cream are easier to make than pumpkin pie. Start making this dessert at least one day before you plan to serve it.

Hachiya persimmon puree flavors the pudding; using arborio (the starchy, short-grained risotto rice) gives it an especially tender, creamy texture.

Polly Tafrate of South Salem, New York, writes: "I've taken dozens of cooking classes over the years, but some of my best lessons in the kitchen have come from my husband's family. His sister and his mother have shared many delicious recipes with me, including the ones here."

Larry Leichtman of Phoenix, Arizona, writes: "Thirteen years ago, I sold my business in Los Angeles and moved to Phoenix. One of the first things my neighbors discovered about me was that I love to cook. We get together often, and I'm usually the one in the kitchen. Being the cook means never having to do the dishes."

Be sure to use high-quality chocolate here — the flavor really comes through.

Spoon this sprightly condiment over grilled fish, alongside roasted ham, or, for an appetizer, atop slices of smoked salmon on buttered pumpernickel.

Try it with: Roast turkey sandwiches with cucumber and cilantro, chicken salad with grapes, or as a dipping sauce for satay-style appetizers. (Indian curry paste can be found at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and Indian markets.)

To preserve their vibrant color and pure flavors, cook the greens just until they are slightly wilted. The ribs of the greens should retain some crispness.

Fluffy texture (thanks to less-starchy converted rice) and the right balance of flavors (bay, thyme, and white pepper) earn this foolproof rice its name. This recipe is an accompaniment for Gumbo Z'Herbes.