Dairy

Liptauer gained its name from the provenance of the fresh sheep's milk cheese with which it was originally made, Lipto, Hungary. Our version of this seasoned spread is made with cream cheese.

Excellent with crackers, on crusty country bread or served as a dip with crudités.

To make this a vegetarian chili, use an additional eight ounces of lentils instead of the pound of ground beef.

(Buckwheat Yeast Pancakes with Three Caviars)

Not a Mexican salsa, this Italian "green sauce" is made of fresh basil, parsley, garlic and a big splash of vermouth. Swirled atop the cheese mixture, the salsa verde adds a lovely marbled effect to the fondue.

(Fiori di Zucca Ripieni) Of all the aspects of Tuscan cuisine, not one stands out as much as its overwhelming variety of fresh vegetables. Zucchini is a favorite, of course, and so are the blossoms. The sweet, succulent flowers are prepared in countless ways, including fried, sautéed and, as in the following recipe, stuffed and baked. If you don't have zucchini in your garden, look for the blossoms in the supermarket or at a farmers' market. They are usually sold still attached to baby zucchini, which is how they are used in this recipe.

A very popular restaurant dish that's easy to re-create at home.

A berry dessert that's a great finish to the spiced chicken breast meal.

This pasta dish originated in the region of Lazio, not Tuscany. However, it is popular throughout Italy — and America — today.

"My husband and I celebrated two of our anniversaries at the restaurant in the Morrison-Clark Inn, in Washington, DC, and enjoyed the experience both times." says Michelle M. Berberet of Alexandria, Virginia. "We are especially fond of the lemon chess pie. Do you think you can get the recipe, or is it a state secret?" It's no state secret—pastry chef Sol Schott was happy to share. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Schat begins by making a biga — a rather stiff dough that ferments in the refrigerator overnight. He incorporates a portion of the biga into another, wetter dough made the next day. The biga adds a deeper flavor and extra strength to the final dough. Schat, like all professional bakers, measures his ingredients by weight, which is far more precise than volume.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 2 hr