Citrus

The small, sweet Meyer lemon, common in California backyards, has a thin, smooth skin and a juice interior and is particularly fragrant. These scones, which are lighter than most, will spread slightly during baking.

This sugar, used in the cookies and lime ice, is great to have on hand for sprinkling on cut fruit or to add a boost to iced tea. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

An easy do-ahead appetizer.

We're certain that this soup will become a staple in your summer repertoire. It's simple to make, low in fat, and tastes like freshness itself.

Serve this citrus-marinated steak with white rice and pinto beans tossed with butter and a marinated cabbage salad for an authentic Central American meal.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Frying the lime wedges gives them a pleasing golden color and enables the juice to squirt out with the slightest pressure.

This cake, bursting with berries, is perfect for a picnic. Dress it up for company with unsweetened whipped cream and a simple vanilla custard sauce.

"My wife and I had some great fish dishes at the Alpine Bistro in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, "says Sanford M. Skalka, New Providence, New Jersey. "I would like the recipe for the sesame-crusted tuna steak, which came with a flavorful Asian-style sauce."

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 25 hr

Quinoa, an ancient grain eaten by the Incas, is naturally coated with a bitter-tasting substance called saponin. But once the residue is rinsed away, you have a versatile, nutty-tasting grain that makes a fine alternative to rice and barley. For convenience, grill the bell peppers in this dish at the same time as the vegetables and beef for the main-course kebabs.

For a milder dish, use fewer Thai chiles and seed the serranos before mincing them. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

This cake was adapted by food editor Shelton Wiseman from a recipe published in our January 1945 issue.

Lighter, brighter flavors make this old-fashioned salad new again.

Inspired by Dionne Lucas's recipe for roulade léontine, this easy flourless chocolate roll cake will delight your guests with its airy texture and intense chocolate flavor.

Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 35 min

"Every meal I've had at Addie's, a small place in nearby Rockville, has been great," says Alyssa Shooshan of Potomac, Maryland. "I especially like the lime cake; in fact, it's one of my favorite desserts. I do a lot of entertaining and would love to make the cake for a party."

Tofu is the base of the dressing in this recipe. A sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds adds to the flavor of this nice dish.