Blue Cheese

"One evening my husband took me to a marvelous restaurant, Al Biernat's, in nearby Dallas," says Janice E. Bryant of Irving, Texas."I had an innovative salad—greens tossed with grilled pear slices, walnuts, blue cheese and a terrific vinaigrette."

If fresh figs aren't available, dried black Mission figs can be substituted here; look for ones that are soft and moist. What to drink: Crisp Pinot Grigio pairs nicely with the entire meal.

Use fresh button mushrooms if wild mushrooms are hard to get; you will still have delicious results. Yukon Gold potatoes have a pale yellow color and a buttery taste that adds to the richness of this dish.

It's best to divide this salad between two bowls; put one on the buffet table, and keep the other refrigerated until you need it later in the party. Make the pickled onions at least one day ahead.

As in all of Italy, pasta is served as a first course (primo) in Tuscany.

Melanie Riggs of Jackson, Mississippi, writes: "Last winter, I visited some friends in Minnesota. We had a fabulous meal at Redstone American Grill in Minnetonka, where I ordered an amazing steak with a blue- cheese-flavored crust." The Japanese-style breadcrumbs known as panko give the steaks a light, crispy crust.

The sweet figs and tangy Gorgonzola are perfect partners in this unique and delicious take on a popular hors d'oeuvre.

While fondue originated in the French-speaking part of Switzerland (the word means "melted" in French), the dish has become an international favorite. The principal ingredients are cheese (usually Gruyère mixed with either Emmenthal or Appenzeller), white wine, kirsch and garlic. But there are as many variations on that theme as there are mountains in Switzerland.

I've seen portobello mushrooms in so many restaurant dishes lately that I decided to develop my own recipe," says Eileen M. Watson of Oviedo, Florida. "I like to serve these stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer when I entertain, but they also make a terrific meatless entrée."

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

"Although I’ve been a subscriber for almost ten years, this is the first time I’ve written to request a recipe," writes Danette Laver of Ambler, Pennsylvania. "The honey-garlic dressing on the salad I had at Fork in Philadelphia was so good that I used a chunk of bread to soak up every last drop."

Marie G. Beltran of Seattle, Washington, writes: "The signature dish at Blue Onion Bistro here in Seattle is a rich, velvety macaroni made with blue cheese. The restaurant, which is housed in a former corner gas station, is both nostalgic and comforting, just like the delicious dish. Is there any way you could persuade chef Scott Simpson to divulge the recipe?" For blue-cheese lovers only. For best results, use Maytag or a Danish blue cheese.

José Ramón Andrés Buey con Cabrales Como le Gusta a Mi Madre My mother and I were born in Mieres, Asturias, the most beautiful region you'll ever see in Europe and the home of Cabrales, a great blue cheese made in the Asturian mountains. When I was young, we moved to Barcelona. Whenever my mother was homesick for Asturias, she'd eat a little piece of Cabrales to bring her closer to Mieres. To this day, every time I want to feel like I'm in Asturias, I eat some Cabrales, by itself or in this beef recipe.