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This is also terrific with yellow tomatoes. Garnish with thin cucumber slices and some chopped red onion, if desired.

This sophisticated appetizer from Aqua in San Francisco is nice for a special occasion.

Thyme really shines in this soup; sautéed apples are an interesting sweet garnish.

Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 45 min

Serve this soup with a sandwich or a salad for a delicious lunch or light supper.

"When autumn comes to Chicago, I love going to Lucca's to enjoy a big bowl of pumpkin soup while sitting outside on the patio ," writes Tom Cove of Chicago, Illinois. "Can you get this terrific recipe?" A medley of exotic spices plus coconut milk and banana add complexity and rich flavor.

At Las Ventanas this soup and a corn soup are ladled side by side into the serving bowl.

We can thank Vic Bergeron — owner of Trader Vic's restaurant, in San Francisco — for bringing rumaki into mainstream dining culture. He claimed that this delicious hors d'oeuvre came from Hawaii, with Chinese roots and a Japanese name. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

The polenta can be made a day ahead and reheated in the oven.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 30 min

To set a festive mood, serve these with mimosas made with icy-cold Prosecco and freshly squeezed tangerine juice.

(COUNTRY TERRINE) My local butcher, Mr. Delasalle, wouldn't part with his terrine recipe, though he gave me plenty of hints. What follows is a recipe that closely replicates his.

This mix of jicama, cucumber, bell pepper, and carrot would also make a good side dish for scallops or shrimp. To keep the slaw crispy, add the dressing just before serving.

In France, tartines are slices of bread topped with butter and sometimes cheese, honey, or other spreads. Here that simple idea is turned into a sophisticated appetizer when the bread is brushed with chive oil and topped with smoked salmon and goat cheese.

"I love going to Peter Schott's here in Boise for special occasions," writes Tracie Merrell of Boise, Idaho. "The restaurant is elegant but relaxed, and the food is memorable, especially the mushroom soup with Brie croutons." Freezing the Brie firms it, so removing the rind and slicing the cheese are much easier.