Snack

A tangy little appetizer (or go-with) that's a breeze to put together. Lemonade, soda or Pinot Grigio would be great with this menu.

"My wife, Jean, and I run a coffee farm on the Big Island of Hawaii," writes George Fike of Keauhou Mauka, Hawaii. "I really love to cook, so we entertain a lot, and I enjoy planning the dinners as much as I do making them. I tell people the best restaurant in town is our house! Since I do most of the cooking, recipes must either be relatively fast or look after themselves." Based on George's mother's recipe, this is an easy, moist, and tender carrot cake with delicate tropical flavors and macadamia nuts. There are a lot of ingredients, but they come together in just minutes.

Ceviche de Dorado con Chile Jalapeño y Coco The fish is marinated in fresh lime juice (and therefore partly "cooked").

This crowd-pleasing dip is a natural with potato chips and good with crudités, too.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Individual Chocolate Raspberry Baked Alaskas . This recipe will yield more than you need for the baked Alaskas, but who would mind a little extra ice cream in the house?

Though reminiscent of the warm soft pretzels you may have had at baseball games or on the street, these are even better because they're fresh. Serve with yellow mustard.

Keep these cookies in airtight containers.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 days The USDA recommends cooking foie gras to an internal temperature of 160°F to be sure any harmful bacteria are killed. Though we prefer the results of chef Laurent Manrique's French method, we've included both options in the procedure.

You could also serve it on its own with crackers or bread, or offer it as a relish for grilled chicken or fish. It can be made with black olives as well as with green.

While this cake tastes delicious on its own, enhance it with dollops of whipped cream or nondairy topping and a few orange segments.

Developed in 1923, the boysenberry is a hybrid of the blackberry, raspberry and loganberry.

Called Upper Peninsula Pasties, the original crusts, made with barley flour and little fat, were tough enough to survive a day in the copper mines. Boston-based pastry chef Greg Case has devised this more tender version. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 2 1/4 hr

Jews from Persia (present-day Iran) are especially proud of Queen Esther's role in the holiday of Purim. A favorite dish of Iranian children is halvah, which they eat after they break the fast of Esther, observed on Adar 13. At nursery school, Merissa learned this recipe for halvah from an Iranian teacher. In between tastes, the children played with Esther and Ahasuerus marionettes they had made with the help of their teacher.

Here is a sensational layering of cake and toffee sauce that's served warm, accompanied by whipped cream or crème fraîche.