Beverages

The act of deglazing—using a liquid to "release" pan drippings—is the tried-and-true trick to getting a quick, flavorful sauce. The soy in this recipe melds wonderfully with the wine and adds a certain depth.

Though this famous pub dish—usually made with Cheddar—is known for its lack of meat, a slice of high-quality ham adds another layer of deliciousness.

Whipped cream becomes light—yet richer—with the addition of Calvados. It echoes the apples in the torte but also goes beautifully with the pumpkin plum tart.

Laced with grappa, this lovely molded jelly works well with the robustness of all the other dishes on this menu (and cranberries and grappa bring out the best in each other).

Cider plus cider vinegar brings a sophisticated layered sweetness and a slight edge to perennial candied carrots.

Ruby Port makes for a cranberry sauce that's all grown-up—and its robust flavors, paired with a bit of tangy citrus, complement all the other foods on the plate.

Just as they do in sweet Chinese bubble tea, fat, chewy pearls of tapioca bring a certain levity to pears in a fragrant spiced-cider "broth." Satsuma segments add hits of sweetness to this chic, playful dessert.

This recipe was created by chef Traci Des Jardins of San Francisco's Jardinière. It's part of a special menu she created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

A touch of fragrant honey in this dish complements the potatoes' inherent sweetness. Don't be afraid to roast them to a dark golden brown—the chewy caramelized edges will add flavor.

This vibrant condiment takes its inspiration from the popular Cosmopolitan drink. The alcohol heightens the sauce's flavor, but for kids and nondrinkers, the recipe can easily be made nonalcoholic by substituting orange juice for the water and deleting the vodka and liqueur.

In this recipe, butter lettuce is cooked in pan drippings for a quick side.

Chestnuts play deliciously against roasted grapes. Roasted chestnuts in jars can be found at some supermarkets, at specialty foods stores, and online at markys.com or mastercaviar.com.

Boiling down the cider gives great apple flavor; parsley adds color and freshness.

Dried and fresh cranberries are simmered in Port for a not-too-sweet, grown-up take on the classic.

Mushroom fans, this one's for you: a hearty rosemary-bread dressing made with dried porcini as well as shiitake and button mushrooms.

For this dish, we used The Silver Palate's packaged cranberry-apple chutney, which is available at some supermarkets. If you can't find apple chutney, try mango chutney instead.

The legacy of San Francisco's Italian and Portuguese immigrants—many of them fishermen—lives on in this fuss-free take on the North Beach favorite, with fresh fennel adding a subtle touch of anise to the tomato-based seafood stew.

Food editor Ian Knauer has taken three of his favorite things—pigs, booze, and fire—and combined them into a heady, creamy, southern-inspired specialty.