Stone Fruit

Similar in texture to lemon bars, these have a shortbread cookie base and a delightful tropical fruit filling.

Here's a hot Indian meal interpreted as an exotic and refreshing meatless salad.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Here's a nice way to serve up fresh summer fruit to family and friends.

This is a classic French preparation that is easy to prepare and quite light. Once you have mastered the base, you can add any fruit that you have on hand. It is a great brunch dish since it is not quite an entrée nor is it sweet enough to be a dessert. One omelette is just enough for two people, and since I think that it is almost impossible to make an attractive omelette large enough to feed six, it is best to make one recipe at a time when feeding more than two people. You can keep the finished omelettes warm in a preheated 300° oven while you make the necessary number.

This refreshing and truly sparkling dessert adds glamour to any summer dinner. If you can't find Prosecco, use any fruity sparkling wine, such as Asti Spumante.

Although most bruschetta are savory, this sweet bruschetta is perfect for breakfast or dessert. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The tender nut crust and a vanilla bean syrup make these cheesecake-like tartlets extra special. Top with more nuts, if you like.

Tossing the peaches in lemon juice brightens their flavor.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

The griddled persimmon cakes we had with duck in Xi'an inspired this salad.

(Sweet Black Rice) Because Thais don't really have a dessert tradition, this simple black rice dish with coconut milk is most commonly eaten as a sweet snack or for breakfast — it also, however, makes a wonderful end to a meal. Recently available in North America, black glutinous rice is unpolished, so it is quite chewy, like brown rice. Thais make a more tender dish by combining the black rice with white sticky rice. As the rices soak together before steaming, the white rice takes on color from the black to become a beautiful dark purple.

Chewy crusts are filled with a sweet-tart lime curd and topped with sliced mangoes.

Here's a terrific twist on the classic fruit-and-shortcake theme.

A quick and easy breakfast treat.