Brunch

We recommend using the freshest watercress possible — if not at its best, it can give the sauce a slightly bitter taste. (Try hydroponic watercress; it's generally better than conventionally grown supermarket cress.) Tanis suggests skimming all the fat from the cooking liquid and serving the broth as a first-course soup, garnished with toasted slices of French bread.

Allowing the batter to chill overnight gives the yeast time for a long, slow rise, which makes the waffles light and crisp and develops their malty flavor. Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 9 hr

Nice for breakfast on bagels or toast.

The popular rum-and-mint cocktail from Cuba was the inspiration for this entrée. A last-minute spritz of grilled lime adds even more flavor. Garnish with grilled pineapple slices cut into star shapes, if desired.

Helen Yard of Flagstaff, Arizona, writes: "I fell in love with Latin food after spending some time in Central America and Mexico assisting with bird studies. Now I study birds along the Colorado River back here in the States. We've got a crew to cook for us in the field, but when I return home I never miss a chance to get busy in the kitchen. " Serve for breakfast with hot buttered tortillas. A poblano is a fresh dark green chile, often called a pasilla, and is available in the produce section of most supermarkets.

Using frozen blueberries in the batter will keep the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the pan as the cake bakes.

You can use these pancakes for the caviar pancakes and save the remaining batter for breakfast. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Tender Iowa corn was the inspiration for these terrific biscuits. They are best eaten the day they are baked; extras can be warmed up the next morning for breakfast or brunch. Be sure to serve them with plenty of butter.

Although these are called fritters, they more closely resemble pancakes. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The small, sweet Meyer lemon, common in California backyards, has a thin, smooth skin and a juice interior and is particularly fragrant. These scones, which are lighter than most, will spread slightly during baking.

Of course, you must have toasted bagels with this. Spinach salad with apple cider dressing would be nice on the side, and warm cherry strudel is a fine finish.

As in many Mexican recipe names, there is a playful personification at work here: The eggs are "separated" by their salsas—one is topped with fiery red, the other with jealous green.