Make Ahead

Budino is Italian for "pudding."

Garcia likes making this bread pudding because "we buy wonderful rustic Italian loaves for the restaurant that are just too good to waste," she says.

At the restaurant, this dish is drizzled with tomato sauce, then garnished with salami and sautéed zucchini.

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Soft 00 flour (available at Italian markets) produces a more tender pasta, but all purpose flour works well, too.

This phenomenal take on a classic flourless chocolate cake lives up to its translation, 'The Black Beast."

**Improv:**Fresh or frozen thawed raspberries would also be great alongside the panna cotta.

Reproduce our handsome cover in your home to add a note of distinction to your entertaining during the warm summer evenings. This is "Watermelon" a creation of the Bourbon Institute. The colors and styling are most appropriate for summer entertaining. And the novelty will appeal to your guests.

What to drink: Serve a splurge-worthy aged rum in a snifter, to sip like brandy.

Natilla is the Cuban answer to a French pot de crème. Here, an icy coffee granita tops the pudding for a cool contrast. (The puddings need to chill overnight and the granita needs freezing time, so be sure to start a day before serving.)

The famous coffee flavors both the brownies and their ganache topping. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is prized for its bold, clean flavor, but good espresso beans and strong brewed espresso work well, too.

Virtually every island has some kind of coconut industry, since there's a use for every part of the coconut, from soap to cooking oil to mattress stuffing. Here, the fresh "meat" is used in a classic candy. There are many variations on this tasty treat, which is sold on the street and in grocery stores, where it's usually homemade.

Editor's note: This recipe is reprinted from Jo Ann Bass and Richard Sax's book Eat at Joe's: The Joe's Stone Crab Restaurant Cookbook. At Joe's, the stone crabs are served cold, already cracked. They come with small metal cups of mustard or melted butter—or both. This is the mustard sauce for which Joe's is famous.

This recipe is from Suzanne Goin, chef and owner of Lucques and A.O.C. restaurants in Los Angeles. It's great with her Moroccan menu in the October 2006 issue of Bon Appétit, or with just about any Mediterranean or Middle Eastern meal.

This play of bitter, sweet, and crunchy goes beautifully with an aperitif or a cold glass of beer or white wine.

Torta salata
Great on its own or as part of a meal, this tender bread is wonderfully rich, particularly when served warm.

We can't imagine buying this drink necessity—it's so easy to make at home.