Nut

Although nougat is made on many Mediterranean islands, the honey-and-nut confection is a real favorite on Minorca.

Over the past century, pecans have become closely associated with the South. However, walnuts were actually the pecan's predecessor in the Low Country, and were far more popular in earlier times.

The tender nut crust and a vanilla bean syrup make these cheesecake-like tartlets extra special. Top with more nuts, if you like.

A perfect double topping for ice cream or frozen yogurt. For gift giving, test program director Lane Crowther places the sauce and the praline in two separate jars, then wraps them in cellophane and ribbons. The praline can also be broken into large pieces and packaged in tins to give as candy.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Loaded with fruit, this dessert is cut and served as you would a cake, but the texture is that of a pudding. To keep the meal kosher when your menu includes meat, omit the whipped cream frosting and serve this with nondairy topping and the berry sauce. Begin the cake a day ahead.

These delectable treats can be kept in the freezer for up to one month. They're great to have on hand for snacks or for serving to unexpected company.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Passover without macaroons is like Rosh Hashanah without sweet honey cake or Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie. Sephardic macaroons use lemon zest for flavoring rather than almond extract. The secret to good macaroons is beating the egg whites just right and not overbaking the cookies.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

We call for English-style bitter orange marmalade (made with Seville oranges and often called Dundee) because other types made the ice cream too sweet and too soft. It's available at specialty foods shops and some supermarkets. This recipe makes about a dozen more florentines than you'll need for the sandwiches, but it's a good idea to have extra in case one or two break — and the cookies are delicious even without the ice cream. Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 7 hr (includes freezing)

The griddled persimmon cakes we had with duck in Xi'an inspired this salad.

Toss one cup of the pesto with one pound of cooked pasta, or try it as a sauce over baked chicken or fish.

Chewy crusts are filled with a sweet-tart lime curd and topped with sliced mangoes.

Lime and grapefruit juices enhance the creamy white-chocolate filling in this treat.

The good news here is that there will be leftover ice cream to enjoy at another time.