Berry

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 35 min

This recipe is an accompaniment for Sweet-Potato Gaufrettes with Duck Confit and Cranberry Black Pepper Chutney. Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 30 min

Fresh cranberries make a tangy, slightly tannic, and very refreshing sorbet. Infused with the fruity aroma of orange, lemon, or English thyme, the sorbet is a delightfully unique cranberry dish to serve before, during, or after Thanksgiving dinner.

The graham craker crust provides a crunchy base for the rich, creamy filling.

Tamales are traditionally served in the southwestern United States and in Mexico at Christmas. In this easy do-ahead version, corn husks are wrapped around spicy pieces of pork tenderloin. The husks keep the pork tender and juicy as it cooks. What to drink: Pinot Noir.

This recipe yields more meringue squares than you'll need for the ice cream–filled napoleons. The extras can replace any that break — and they also make a delicious snack.

These parfaits (or budini — Italian for "puddings") of ultra-creamy mascarpone layered with Marsala-soaked strawberries perfectly illustrate the way of dessert in Italy: utterly simple, not too sweet, and delicious.

There are only five employees at The Little Rooster Cafe, a small breakfast and lunch spot, but its terrific food and friendly service make it popular with locals and tourists (especially those who come to browse the town's outlet stores). Chef and co-owner Hub Poelmann features a different waffle every day. "We have an open kitchen," he says. "People smell the waffles cooking, and then order them." Poelmann credits his cooks with this lemon-poppy seed recipe, which was the happy result of "playing around in the kitchen." These light waffles would also be good with maple syrup, if you prefer.

The cake pans, cardboard rounds, and dowels are available at cake and candy supply stores; or call Jane's Cakes and Chocolates at 800-262-7630.

You can substitute pears for the apples.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

If you're making this entire menu, we recommend assembling the cobbler and putting it into the oven just before you begin grilling the steak. That way, the cobbler will be cool enough to serve after you have finished eating the main course and cleared the table.

If you don't have a 2 3/4-inch-diameter cookie cutter, the same size tin can (with top and bottom removed) works just as well.

Don't let the unexciting name of the recipe fool you—this ice cream is unusually good. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 4 hr