Bon Appétit

This recipe is an accompaniment for Mascarpone Cheesecake with Quince Compote .

Crusts made of ground biscotti and almonds accent this do-ahead dessert.

"I've always taken a scientific, as well as an artistic, approach to food," writes Mark Van Wye of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. "My family dined out a lot when I was young, and I became an adventurous eater. I would try anything and everything, and eventually I'd attempt to re-create those restaurant dishes at home. I never asked for recipes; I liked the detective work and the sense of discovery as I experimented with ingredients, just as a novice painter learns by copying the masters." Look for green peppercorns where capers and pickles are sold in the supermarket. (They're also good in salad dressings.)

Accompany these with your favorite purchased or homemade tartar sauce.

Called "French pasta" at the restaurant, this Provençal-style special (using no butter and a minimum of oil) is typical of Méteigner's light French fare.

Start making this dip one day before you plan to serve it, since the yogurt has to drain and thicken overnight. A piece of cheesecloth is needed for the first step of the recipe.

These Colombian corn pancakes do a good job of soaking up the juices from the pork.

A Roman-style pasta carbonara can be presented as a first course, in true Italian fashion.

Mashed sweet potatoes and sautéed green beans make colorful companions. Key lime pie is a refreshing way to wrap up.

"I was in Boston on a business trip when I discovered the city's North End and its many old Italian restaurants," writes Jennifer Fassman of Westport, Connecticut. "After wandering around the small, quaint streets, I was surprised to find a bright, modern restaurant — Marcuccio's. I took the waiter's advice and ordered the sea bass with parsley sauce. It was incredible." At the restaurant, this entrée is served with sautéed broccoli rabe (also known as rapini). It would be great with spinach, too.

Scoops of purchased chocolate, vanilla, and coffee ice creams are topped with three different do-ahead sauces.

Tart apples and sweet ones come together in this all-American favorite.

This unique flan — made with pineapple juice rather than milk or cream — comes from Patria in New York. Use the pineapple juice found near the orange juice in supermarket refrigerator sections, and begin making the flan a day ahead.

Be sure to brush the grill clean while it's hot before adding the fruit.

Cook and refrigerate the rice ahead of time. This meal needs only a bottle of Chardonnay.

A purchased crust and frozen blueberries make this pie a snap to put together.

This is like a frozen mousse, which helps explain its name: semifreddo, or "half-frozen." Start preparation a day ahead.

Here's a real treat for the lunch box. Adding dried cherries and chocolate chips turns classic oatmeal cookies into something new.

Quick, upscale and delicious. Leftover garbanzo bean spread makes a great dip for carrot and celery sticks.