Bon Appétit

Turkey is native to Mexico; it was a staple in the Mayan diet. I first sampled pavo en sac kol at Los Almendros in Mérida. This recipe was inspired by Rick Bayless.

Tradition calls for achiote-scented cochinita pibil to be roasted underground in a pit called a pib. Indirect grilling produces a terrific pibil, and because Yucatecans don't prize the flavor of wood smoke for this dish, a gas grill is ideal. The meat needs to marinate four hours.

Tikinxic—Yucatán's ubiquitous grilled fish—gets a double wallop of flavor: first from a recado rojo (fire-red achiote marinade), then from a wrapping of banana leaves, which help keep the fish moist, prevent it from sticking to the grill, and add their own unique taste.

Arrachera (skirt steak) is one of the most popular grilled meats in the Yucatán— served sizzling hot off the steel-drum grills of street vendors and at restaurants like La Parrilla in Cancuún.

Frozen puff pastry makes a quick and easy crust for this modern take on pizza.

Shaving the side edge of the coconut pieces with a vegetable peeler is the best way to get strips of uniform width for garnishing the cake.

The best tool for grating is a rotary grater by Zyliss ($20; chefcentral.com) or by Microplane ($25; thekitchenstore.com).

This is a traditional Tuscan method—bricks weigh down the butterflied chicken, resulting in even, quick cooking and crispy skin (you'll need two bricks for this recipe; wrap them in foil). If you don't have bricks, a cast-iron skillet will do the trick. Ask your butcher to butterfly the chicken for you.

Great on polenta, grits, or steamed rice.

Use leftovers for sandwiches the next day: Place shredded chicken, garbanzos, and tomatoes in a pita bread and top with the yogurt sauce.

Make a simple herb oil to brush over the flatbreads as soon as they come out of the skillet. Just mix 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander. Or serve with raita .

Mangoes take the place of tomatoes, so you don't have to wait until summer to enjoy this much-loved Italian salad.

Serve the compote over vanilla or strawberry ice cream, angel food cake, pancakes, or waffles.

For a complete diner-style meal, serve this indulgent main with sautéed green beans and buttermilk biscuits.

These are made with wedges of a moist, rich cake and served with a sauce that blends cooked and fresh strawberries.

Aged Gruyère gives extra-nutty flavor.