Citrus

Here's an elegant and refreshing dish that features a wine syrup drizzled over grapefruit segments (skip the syrup on the kids' portions) and served in hollowed-out halves.

Buttery, slightly sweet pumpkin is the perfect mate for the briny flavor of oysters, scallops, or other crustaceans. This soup is made with shrimp, whose shells are turned into an aromatic stock that serves as the soup's liquid. Classic shellfish bisques are thickened with rice, but here pumpkin provides body for the soup. Sage's earthy flavor complements both pumpkin and shrimp and steers the focus of flavor from sweet to savory. This is a satisfying soup to prepare throughout the fall. If you serve it as a first course for Thanksgiving dinner, you might start a tradition in your family.

This light and lovely main course comes from executive chef Jeff Tunks at the acclaimed DC Coast in Washington, D.C.

Serve this tender, moist Bundt cake with the Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote , vanilla ice cream, or just on its own. Decorate with whole strawberries, if desired.

In Indian restaurants, lassi is served with the meal, but we frequently find this exotic "smoothie" too filling to accompany a main course and prefer it in place of dessert. Look for the smaller, yellow-skinned mangoes, which have a more pronounced flavor than the larger, red and green ones.

Rockfish is used in this dish at Cashion's Eat Place in Washington, D.C. If you can't find rockfish fillets, substitute sea bass.

This rich red nectar may be eaten hot or cold. I serve it in a demitasse or other small cup. Scrub the beets well before cooking. Taste as you prepare the soup, because getting the right balance of sweet and sour is important.

A few years ago, when I was in southeastern Turkey working on my book Mediterranean Grains and Greens, I noticed that the women didn't soak their bulgur in water for some summer preparations. When I asked a Turkish friend about this, she let out a laugh. "In Turkey, no man would marry a woman who just used water! For cold bulgur dishes we always soak in tomato juice, onion juice, or fresh pressed and strained sour grape juice to flavor the bulgur first."

Adapted from Mnemba Island Lodge

These crispy cakes are jazzed up with cayenne and lemon peel. Add purchased potato salad, sliced tomatoes, and a seeded baguette. A strawberry tart from the bakery would make a refreshing summer finish.

Hot or cold, this soup is a great starter and can be a meal in itself. It's thickened with potatoes — not cream — but tastes self-indulgent just the same. [NB: This recipe requires a slow cooker.]

Make this pie with a combination of tart apples — such as Winesap or Granny Smith — and sweet varieties like Fuji, Jonagold, Idared, or Mutsu.

Ground almonds add a delicate nutty flavor to the crust. Begin making the filling a day before assembling the tart; once completed, it can be chilled another day before serving.

Save time by using vacuum-sealed pouches of tuna, which don't need to be drained.