Bon Appétit

Halved cherry tomatoes and diced green chilies make a chunky relish for the tri-tip.

These rich custards are the perfect ending to this — or any other — spring meal.

This rendition of the traditional southern side dish is served chilled.

Ask the butcher to "french" the racks of lamb, which involves cutting away the meat from the ends of the rack to expose the bones. Serve with: California Cabernet • asparagus sprinkled with chives and toasted pine nuts • crusty baguette • blueberry crumble with cream

This breakfast treat tastes decadent but is really quite low in fat. It's topped with maple-spiked yogurt.

Be sure to save a few of these buttery biscuits for mini ham sandwiches the next day.

This recipe originally accompanied epi:recipeLink="101021"Pork Medallions with Mustard Cream Sauce</epi:recipeLink>.<P> This tangy sauce would also be terrific with roast chicken.

Before using the cherry cola, pour it into a bowl and allow it to stand at room temperature until no longer effervescent, about four hours. Start with a relish platter, then serve the spareribs with the State Fair Potato Salad and corn on the cob. What to drink: Tall glasses of iced tea or frosty mugs of lager.

This summery trifle is simple to make since it calls for a purchased pound cake. Begin preparing the trifle one day ahead.

Serve with pan-fried potatoes. What to drink: A crisp Sauvignon Blanc from California or New Zealand, or a French Sancerre.

Made with spicy sausages and smoky grilled onion, these are not your standard burgers.

The glaze can be made a day ahead; it is intensely flavored, so use it sparingly. Take the roast out of the fridge one hour before cooking. What to drink: Merlot or Australian Shiraz.

"Last summer I visited my sister in Los Angeles for a week of shopping, going to the beach and dining out," writes Donna M. Savage of Framingham, Massachusetts. "My favorite meal of the trip was at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills. I had an Indian-style chicken salad that was wonderfully spicy and flavorful. I'd love to try the recipe at home and was hoping that you could get it for me."

"I visit Portland, Oregon, frequently because my son is in college there. Of the restaurants we've tried, Bread and Ink Cafe is one of the best," says Shelly Pearlman of Fairfax, California. "It's located in a funky part of town not far from the school. The squash and leek risotto I had for lunch was superb." Some shaved Parmesan and fresh sage leaves would make an attractive garnish.

The pastry chefs at Spago make fresh strudel dough, but we call for packaged phyllo here. For the breadcrumbs, finely grind crustless white sandwich bread in a processor, then toast the crumbs in a 350°F oven until dry, about 10 minutes. You'll need two 14-cube ice-cube trays for the filling.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Roasted Garlic Sauce .