Corn

This is creamy corn with no cream at all. Our trick? The juice of freshly cut corn thickened with cornstarch.

Tonya Morrison of Lewis Center, Ohio, writes: "My husband and I had a wonderful time on our vacation to Kiawah Island, South Carolina. One night we had dinner at Rosebank Farms Café in Bohicket Marina Village. The recipe for their roast pork tenderloin with apple and raisin chutney would make a delicious souvenir." In this imaginative main course, the chutney adds a sweet, tart contrast to the herb-roasted pork and the rich, creamy corn.

The salad components can be made a day ahead and assembled just before serving.

When adding the flour, it's important to do so delicately. It must be cooked to remove any raw taste. This thickens the soup nicely.

"My girlfriend and I had our first date at The Bridge Café in Westport, Connecticut," writes Terrel Korik of St. Louis, Missouri. "We both enjoyed the corn and basil soup while looking out over the Saugatuck River. I would love to have the soup recipe to try at our new home in St. Louis."

Serve with: A black bean salad and burger toppings like pepper Jack cheese, lettuce, and sour cream. Hamburger buns are optional. Dessert: Dulce de leche ice cream and sliced strawberries.

Truffle oil adds earthy nuances to this summer soup, but don't worry if you don't have any on hand: The soup will still be good without it. Open a nice bottle of Champagne to go with the meal.

If you're short on time, use a roast chicken from the supermarket instead of grilling chicken breasts. Serve Mexican beers alongside and tortilla chips for extra crunch.

The signature dish at Américas in Houston. Achiote paste adds earthy flavor and deep red color to the shrimp.

Fresh kernels of raw corn are so sweet and tender that they don't need to be cooked. Their natural sugars and crisp juiciness pair wonderfully with the salty Parmesan and peppery arugula.

Like gumbo, this is a thick and flavorful stew. But it takes a lot less time to make. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Cornmeal gives these blini a slightly crunchy texture that is perfect with the salsa.

This is a lighter, first-course version of a classic Pennsylvania main-course soup. Saffron was initially a Colonial rich man's spice, and it retained a certain panache even for the Pennsylvania Dutch in Philadelphia, who grew their own.

Add corn bread, a crunchy chicory salad, and peach pie for summer supper at its best.

If you'd like to make the jalapeño-lime butter one day ahead, use a broiler or gas burner to char the chiles and save the grill prep for the corn.