Citrus

Pastiera Napoletana If you can't find hulled whole-wheat kernels (sometimes sold as "pastry wheat"), substitute barley, skip the soaking, and cook as described below, but for only about 30 minutes. Whole wheat kernels — grano in Italian — are used for this traditional Neapolitan dessert that became a mainstay in Italian-American restaurants and bakeries. In Italy, cooked whole-wheat kernels can be found in cans; if you spot some, it will make this recipe a little simpler.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 30 min

Many Mexican desserts are topped with cajeta, a thick caramel sauce. Two caramel elements make this cake especially delicious: a syrup that's drizzled over each layer and caramelized sugar stars on top. Use a variety of star-shaped cookie cutters to make the stars.

This is perhaps my favorite way to eat pound cake! The fresh light flavor of lemon blends beautifully with the buttery flavor of pound cake. The lemon syrup tenderizes, adds tartness, and helps to keep the cake fresh for a few days longer than usual. Poppy seeds add a delightful crunch. Lemon blossoms and lemon leaves make a lovely and appropriate garnish.

Serve with: Warmed tortillas and steamed, buttered summer squash. Dessert: Key lime pie from the bakery.

One of the dishes that introduced Americans to French food. This version calls for duck breasts and a simple reduction sauce.

This light and airy mousse uses fat-free half and half with unexpectedly smooth results. You can spoon sliced, sugared strawberries over the top to add an extra-special touch of spring.

Enjoy this cake with berries and cream, or have it toasted for breakfast.

Serve with scoops of vanilla ice cream.

The spice rub that we have used in this recipe works equally well with other steaks such as sirloin.

This large rustic tart has hints of anise, cinnamon and clove, spices that are also found in the noted honey cake of Burgundy, pain d'épice. The apples can be roasted one day ahead so that the tart can be baked early in the day on Christmas Eve.

"My first real job was as a paralegal — but I hated it," writes Marcia Porch of Winter Park, Florida. "There were plenty of signs that my interests lay elsewhere; it just took me a while to recognize them. My co-workers caught on faster: They would tease me because there were always cookbooks on my desk. So I started moonlighting at a bakery on the weekends. Eventually this led to a culinary career that has included owning a catering business. These days, what I make at home has to have do-ahead steps and no complicated ingredients, and be healthful and simple to assemble. " If you have trouble finding plain bulgur (cracked wheat), use one cup of bulgur (but not the seasoning packets) from two boxes of wheat salad mix, found in the rice and pasta section of the supermarket.

Serve with: Baked potatoes and sautéed zucchini. Dessert: Dulce de leche ice cream with toasted almonds.

I got the idea for this recipe from my Lebanese mother-in-law, Leila Matar, who often makes a tahini dressing for green salads. It also turns up in her kafta (meatloaf), on falafel, and, with some parsley and extra lemon, over fried or grilled fish. Active time: 5 min Start to finish: 5 min

In Cuba, this dish is traditionally served on New Year's Day. In this tradition, as in the Hawaiian luau, the pig is usually covered with banana leaves and cooked over a coal fire in a pit that's dug in the backyard. Because this method is not easy to do at home, the recipe below uses a small suckling pig that will fit in the oven, yet deliver the same delicious flavor. Ask your butcher to split the pig for you. Don't be afraid to give this recipe a try — cooking a whole small pig is like cooking a whole turkey.

Pick up some crunchy coleslaw and corn bread to go with the fish. Bourbon-spiked sweetened peaches with vanilla ice cream are a nice dessert.

This mix of jicama, cucumber, bell pepper, and carrot would also make a good side dish for scallops or shrimp. To keep the slaw crispy, add the dressing just before serving.