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Marie called most any dish that she added wine to “French,” and her French pot roast was a star of the genre. The paprika and bell pepper are additions from the late writer Laurie Colwin, who along with Marie would top my list of people to eat pot roast with.

Quick-cooking red lentils have a sweet, mild flavor that pairs well with rich paprika.

In a good oyster stew, the oyster liquor is as important as the meat itself: the point is to surround the warm, barely cooked oysters with a rich, briny cream. Use only very fresh, tasty oysters; since the only other ingredients are cream and butter, the stew will only be as flavorful as the oysters themselves. Serve with a stack of crisp hot buttered toast.

Canned beans can’t compete with dried ones on flavor, versatility, or price. Cooking times for dried beans vary greatly depending on the variety and on how long they have been stored: the fresher they are, the faster they cook. This recipe can be used with any white-ish or cranberry-type bean, and the general method can be used for any dried beans with variations on the seasonings: pair pink varieties like pintos or kidneys with smoked bacon, oregano, and beer; season pale green flageolets with stewed leeks and fennel. Heirloom Beans, by Steve Sando of Rancho Gordo, is a good resource for bean cookery.

Pork shoulder is my hands-down favorite cut of meat. Studded with garlic, it makes a succulent roast for dinner with enough for sandwiches the next day; and braised with a few flavorful ingredients, it creates its own sauce. Hard cider brings acidity to the sweetness of regular cider and apples.

Black drum is a terrific fish—meaty and satisfying but still delicate. It’s often compared to overfished grouper but is more flavorful and less tough, and its skin cooks up crisp and savory. If you can’t find drum, black cod (sablefish) from Alaska or wild striped bass is a good substitute.

My mom makes these delicious baked tomatoes as an entrée in a vegetable-plate dinner or as a side dish for grilled meat. Make a double batch of the seasoned crumbs, if you’d like; they freeze very well and can be used with equally good results on many summer vegetables.

Steaming eggplant gives it a suave, custardy texture that helps it resist soaking up too much oil, setting it up for this rich dressing. I like Anaheim chile flakes here, which are milder than the standard-issue chile flakes. They provide sweet pepper flavor without too much heat.

While the squab is resting, fry up the livers in a little butter in a small pan and season with salt. Mash them with a fork and flavor with a little gold rum to taste. Spread on grilled bread as a snack while you wait, or serve it alongside the squab.

The amount of crab and shrimp you need will depend on appetites and on how well your guests know each other. When you serve crabs in mixed company, even dear friends will shock you with their daintiness, but if it’s a family dinner, as ours is tonight, you might expect people to put away eight or ten crabs apiece. If crabs aren’t available, a seafood boil is equally delicious with just shrimp, especially if they are wild ones, still fresh enough to have their heads on.