Make Ahead

A sophisticated dessert that is great on its own, mixed with sweet berries or used as a topping for ice cream or frozen yogurt.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A quick-to-make vinaigrette that's great tossed with greens and poured over steamed vegetables or orange slices. Present it in an antique glass cruet.

Use a cherry pitter to remove the pits before cutting the cherries in half.

This is also delicious sprinkled over fresh fruit or stirred into iced tea. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"One of my favorite restaurants in Providence is Neath's," writes Emily Hughes of Tulsa, Oklahoma. "On my most recent and memorable trip, I had my preferred dessert — chocolate wontons with ginger ice cream. Can you procure this recipe from chef Neath Pal?"

This irresistible pie features a delicious homemade marshmallow topping.

For centuries, the French have been braising duck as a way to tenderize it, whether the duck was wild or tame (use only farm-raised duck in the recipe below). The slight bitterness of turnips nicely offsets the flavorful meat rich but simple sauce. The appropriate wine choice here would be French-splurge a bit for the season and pour a good Burgundy or Chablis with this.

Remove the kernels from the cobs by holding each ear of corn upright on a flat surface and running a chef's knife along the cob and cutting downward, as close to the cob as possible.

"While in Greenville, South Carolina, we dined at The Palms, located in the Phoenix Inn," writes Marilyn J. Smith of Bradford, Pennsylvania. "All their food is outstanding, but I would particularly like the recipe for the Roquefort terrine. It was delicious!"

Light, refreshing and very sophisticated. Asian pears have a crisp texture, a round shape, and a sweet and floral aroma that's quite unlike that of the more familiar buttery "pear-shaped" pear.