Pork

Shake up some Margaritas (limeade for the kids) and slather grilled corn on the cob with cumin-seasoned butter. For dessert, top fudge brownies with coffee ice cream and Kahlúa.

As pork is bred very lean these days, searing the meat holds in the juices. It is therefore a very important step.

Brining ensures a moist grilled chop. What to drink: Pale ale.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 45 min

Veal and pork combine in the rustic sauce.

Provide knives so your guests can slice the sections into individual ribs. Have lots of damp paper towels on hand.

I prefer pork loin from the rib end of the loin because it has a little more fat and a better flavor.

Serve with: Gingered rice pilaf and summer lettuces with a sesame vinaigrette.

Mung bean sprouts, commonly known simply as bean sprouts, are available in the produce section of most supermarkets.

There are many different kinds of pork dumplings, and siu mai are one of the most popular, typically served in dim sum restaurants. When homemade, the dumplings are unsurpassed, if they are made with an equal amount of fresh water chestnuts to ground pork, Chinese mushrooms, cilantro, and scallions. Siu mai are distinctly different from other dumplings, because they are made with round won ton skins, not the typical square-shaped skins. Each brand has a different thickness of dough, but the thinner the better; the dumplings will be more delicate. If round won ton skins are not available, I cut square wrappers into 3-inch-wide circles. This recipe makes about 3 1/2 dozen siu mai. Steam as many as you need, or cover in plastic wrap, refrigerate, and steam within two to three hours.

Meaty pork ribs usually take time to prepare and are full of calories. This quick and easy version keeps the flavor but leaves out the fat and the bones.

The filling of these savory Latin pastries, served at Café Iguana, in Denver, Colorado, is accented with chilies, raisins and almonds.

In this recipe, a "dry rub" of brown sugar, pepper, paprika and salt flavors the meat before it is cooked, and a vinegary "mop" is brushed onto the pork to add more taste as it is smoked. Once cooked, the meat is "pulled," that is, shredded into slivers that are just the right size for piling onto a bun. The sandwich —drizzled with a bit of the vinegary sauce, which cuts the richness of the meat — is the ultimate in Carolina barbecue. Cook this in a smoker or a barbecue that has been converted to a smoker.

Slowly cooked ribs glazed with a spicy-sweet tomato-based sauce are the signature of K.C. barbecue. If you don't have a smoker, cook the ribs in a barbecue that has been converted to one. It may be necessary to cut the racks into four- to five-rib portions so that they all fit on the grill at once.