Dairy

Popular in the Italian kitchen for eons, risotto and wild mushrooms were embraced in the nineties by American home cooks and restaurant chefs alike. Offer this delicious version as a starter or a main course.

Dense, moist, and delicious, this bread is great as a quick snack or with a bit of whipped honey butter for afternoon tea.

Farmers' markets offer the widest selection of fresh baby potatoes, but if you can't find golf-ball-size versions of any of the varieties in this recipe, simply purchase large potatoes and cut them into 1 1/2-inch pieces.

"My Aunt Rose, a consummate baker, perfected this pound cake, which for years has graced the table of every family gathering," says Barbara Chazan of New York, New York.

(Flour tortillas with Monterey Jack, Corn, and Chilies)

Mini-tostadas are a popular Mexican bocadito, or finger food. Cotija is a crumbly white cheese sold at Latin markets and some supermarkets (feta cheese can be substituted.)

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Whole-wheat pasta is a flavorful alternative to pasta made from white flour. The tan color is particularly attractive when set off by cheese-in this case ricotta salata or feta.