Citrus

Serve this dish on a bed of orzo to capture every drop of the tart, creamy sauce. After trimming and slicing each artichoke, immediately place the quarters in the pot of lemony water so that they won't turn brown. What to drink: Sauvignon Blanc.

The halibut is delicious with sautéed green beans and steamed new potatoes. End with espresso granita or ice cream with grappa.

If you can't find Thai anise basil and Thai lemon basil, you can substitute Italian basil and lemon balm (the latter is available at farmers markets and specialty produce stores).

This recipe is an accompaniment for Miniature Crab Cakes with Tomato Ginger Jam . Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min

These hors d'oeuvres should be served warm, so reheat the arepas in batches as platters need replenishing.

I love these preserves because they're both tart and sweet. For the best color, choose true-red sour cherries. Darker varieties — those that resemble Bing cherries — will make darker preserves, which will also be delicious. The cherries are steeped overnight in sugar, which deepens their flavor and helps them to stay plump. Kernels from the cherry pits (tied in a cheesecloth bag) add an almondy note to the preserves. Active time: 2 1/4 hr Start to finish: 1 day (plus 1 day for flavors to develop)

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr While you could make one without the other, Blue Ginger's shrimp toasts go so well with this flavorful soup that the two recipes function as a pair. We think of the combination as an Asian twist on soup and a sandwich.

Serve this dish with brown rice.

Brushed with sweet orange syrup, filled with almond cream, and covered with toasted almonds, even the most run-of-the-mill store-bought croissants are transformed into something heavenly.

The crunchy crumb topping contrasts nicely with the orange-scented sweet-potato puree. Sweet paprika adds a touch of heat.

These nut meringues are also called erstesternen ("first stars"), a reference to the heavenly signs indicating the end of a fast day. They are traditionally served by German Jews at the meal following Yom Kippur.

Begin making this one day before serving.

I've always found lemon curd too sweet and heavy on its own. Folded into whipped cream, however, it makes a wonderful pie filling.