Starter

If mini pita breads are unavailable in your area, split larger pita breads horizontally in half and cut out smaller pita rounds using a 3-inch-diameter biscuit cutter. You can streamline the process by preparing both the chicken salad and the toasted pita rounds one day in advance.

Start this at least one day before serving.

"I attended a function that featured wonderful hors d'oeuvres—among them, spicy black bean cakes—from chef Matthias Radits of The Breakers in Palm Beach," writes Ruth Acteson of Lantana, Florida. "Do you suppose he would share his recipe?" The chef serves these little cakes with a mango-avocado salsa, but a purchased salsa would make a fine substitute.

For an impressive presentation, I always set the lemon halves in red-wine glasses, because their bowls are larger than white-wine glasses. Serve extra lemons alongside.

Guancette di Manzo When braised, these beef cheeks become meltingly tender, with a rich, deep flavor. You may want to check with your butcher when planning this dish, since it's often necessary to order beef cheeks ahead of time. At Uno e Bino, Cesanese wine is used in the braising liquid, but it's difficult to find in the United States. A dry Lambrusco or Chianti makes a good substitute. Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to Finish: 4 1/4

This recipe can be made with either quail eggs or chicken eggs. The alternative amounts provided in the ingredient list correspond to the type of egg used.

The raita — a type of Indian yogurt sauce — makes a terrific dip for the rolls. A cilantro raita seemed right for this global menu because cilantro is one of the most widely used herbs in the world.

Serve with: Fresh sugar snap peas, grape tomato salad, and dinner rolls.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 4 3/4 hr (includes thawing dough)

Check out your local farmers' market for the best selection of heirloom tomatoes and use them within a few days.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 25 min

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 25 min

Nigella Lawson If we're talking about family favorites, I couldn't leave liptauer out. It was the deli counter delicacy of my childhood and another eating item I'd all but forgotten about. But something made me remember it, and from taste-memory and some notes from the kitchen book inherited by my friend Olivia from her mother, I tried my hand at making it myself. I can confidently and categorically state that it's not some sentimental yearning that makes me want to see its comeback. You don't need to go in for the retro-molding here, just mix the ingredients and plonk them in a bowl if you like; but whatever, this glorious cream cheese, caper, caraway seed, and paprika combination, spread over sour black bread or — if you don't have the genetic taste for it — over slices of any dark or brown bread that you can get from the supermarket, is rhapsodically unbeatable.