Citrus

The crunchy honey-almond praline pieces in the ice cream are an easy, homemade version of turrón, a popular Spanish candy.

I've often made this luscious spread with little yellow plums gathered from my friend Ilene's fruit trees. Red or purple plums work equally well. Because fruit butters are slowly cooked down to a thick paste, they require a good deal of stirring to prevent scorching. Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 3 hr (plus 1 day for flavors to develop)

This creamy, garlicky tahini sauce also pairs wonderfully with lamb. Serve it as a dipping sauce, or as a spread on cold lamb sandwiches.

The jalapeño-flavored butter is also good with chicken or fish, or even corn on the cob.

"My mom taught me how to cook — mostly the meat-and-potatoes fare favored in my native north Texas," writes Judy Wilkins of Tyler, Texas. "I'll always have a fondness for that kind of meal, but now that I live in a town closer to Louisiana, I've developed a love for Cajun food. Out of necessity, I've also developed a love for quick cooking. Between my musician's hours (nights and weekends) and teacher's hours (daytime piano lessons), my schedule can be nuts. When I do have the chance to cook dinner on a weeknight, whatever I make can't take too long — and it has to taste great." With this communal dish, the mess is part of the fun. Lay down newspapers on the table and invite guests to peel-and-eat. And serve crusty bread for sopping up the juices.

Fruit with a spiced wine syrup is a typical — and refreshing — ending to a hearty Spanish dinner. Serve with slices of lemon sponge cake if desired.

The inspiration for this recipe came from a tea sandwich one of our food editors discovered at Alice's Tea Cup, in Manhattan. It's surprisingly substantial — a bit like an overstuffed deli sandwich, but not nearly as heavy.

"I dined on the most sumptuous grilled radicchio salad at The Dish Bistro and Wine Bar the last time I was in Tucson," writes Cindy Shafer of Huntington Beach, California. "Please get the recipe — I must have it." Yellow and green beans, and artichoke hearts are grilled along with the radicchio in this recipe. Serve the salad while the vegetables are still warm.

The secret to tender shortbread — a classic Scottish treat — is not overworking the dough.

Caramel and orange add sophisticated French flair to this rich American dessert. Begin preparing it at least a day ahead.

A dash of curry powder transforms this cool fruit soup into a sweetly savory first course.

Sautéed radishes give a nice kick to this dish, an easy version of fajitas.

Noël McAlpine of Dallas, Texas, writes: "When I was in Florence for a business conference, I had the pleasure of dining at Trattoria Garga. I really enjoyed the scaloppine al carciofi (veal cutlets with artichokes) and would like to add the recipe to my collection."

This classic Roman soup appears on many menus in the city, but we were disappointed with the versions we were served. Our recipe is more of a crowd pleaser. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Cherry-pitters can be purchased in kitchen-supply and housewares shops. Wear an apron when pitting, but still watch out for the juice.

This sherbet in waffle cups is the creation of Jorge Rocha Carmona and his wife, Claudia Mendez, owners of Rome Pasteler‭a, Billy Cross's favorite pastry shop in Oaxaca.