Potato

Loosely translated from the Yiddish, tzimmes means "a fuss over something," but in culinary terms, it's commonly a casserole of various fruits, vegetables and/or meats.

Bruce Aidells, founder of Aidell's Sausage Company, says, "I first discovered that fennel was a delicious vegetable while enjoying Christmas Eve dinner at the home of a dear friend of mine, the late cooking teacher Loni Kuhn. At her own family's holiday meals, a gratin of fennel, potatoes and cheese was a much appreciated standard. The mild anise flavor of cooked fennel goes particularly well with roast turkey or roast pork, and it has been a regular at my family's holiday table for more than twenty years."

These would also be great with beef or pork.

At Hanukkah I always made potato pancakes at the last minute so we tried my recipe but added zucchini to change the color. I wrang out the hand-grated potatoes in a tea towel and got rid of as much of the liquid as possible but retained the starch. I always add scallions, onions, and eggs but no filler. Rochelle Rose, mother of the proprietors of Mrs. Simpson's Restaurant This recipe was created at the first of Mrs. Rose's sons' restaurants, 209 1/2, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. This recipe appeared in the "You Asked for It" column in Gourmet magazine in 1977.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. If you prefer your soup a little thicker, crush 6 saltines into fine crumbs and add them at the end of the procedure, when you add the crab.

"I know everyone at my dinner table may protest at first, but plain mashed potatoes seem rather rustic for such a special day," says Mark Risley, director of Tante Marie's Cooking School. "I like to borrow from the French when it comes to cooking for holidays, and in France holiday time means it's truffle time. So I've decided we should adopt that tradition in this country (at least I plan to in my house) because there is no better way to eat mashed potatoes than when they are flavored with truffles."

You can buy a cooked chicken and frozen puff pastry for this dish. Both make this pot pie a very easy family meal.

Julia Shure of Albany, California, writes: "This comforting soup has both cream cheese and cheddar, which give it a rich, smooth texture. While it makes an elegant first course, the soup can also be a satisfying meal partnered with a simple salad and some crusty bread."

This soup is from Russia and Poland.

Gulyássuppe Hotel Bristol The liver in this recipe enriches the stew without adding any distinct flavor that might be objectionable to those who don't care for liver.

You may be curious about why we chose to include edamame (fresh soybeans), which are often associated with Asian cuisine, in this all-American succotash recipe. Soybeans are actually a patriotic legume: They're the second largest crop produced in this country. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Sprinkle caraway seeds into tomato soup to begin the meal. Serve assorted mustards and pumpernickel bread with the choucroute, an Alsatian dish of sauerkraut and sausage. Then enjoy another flavor from Alsace: kirsch (clear cherry brandy), drizzled over cherry ice cream.

When returning the chopped clams to the pot, try not to heat them for too long, or they will toughen up.

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.]

Zingerman's is one of the best-known corner delis in the Midwest. This classic creamy potato salad, which has just the right amount of mayonnaise tang, is a mainstay on the menu there.

Lindsay McDougal of Corona, California, writes: "When my husband and I first moved to Southern California from a small town between Edinburgh and Glasgow, we were amazed by the variety of foods available. It's almost unfair to compare the two places, since there are so many different ethnic cuisines here. We've come to love Mexican and Italian cooking, but we still find ourselves yearning for the traditional Scottish recipes we grew up with, like Scotch eggs and meat and potato pies. They're hearty dishes and so easy to make. " A variation of the popular Scottish snack Forfar bridies, these meat-filled turnovers are similar to Cornish pasties. They make a great lunch, but also can be cut into wedges and served as an appetizer.

There's no need to trim the watercress; you can use every bit of it in this recipe. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr(includes chilling)

Treat yourself to fresh clams for this recipe — they make all the difference. This dish originated in Rhode Island during the late 19th century, when, as story has it, Portuguese immigrants added tomatoes to their chowder. British New Englanders believed their creamy chowder to be superior and named the Portuguese version after Manhattan, presuming that New Yorkers were the only people crazy enough to add tomatoes.

Garbure Don't be misled by the plain-looking appearance of this classic Basque soup; it is thoroughly satisfying and delicious. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 10 1/2 hr (includes soaking beans)