Spring

In this preparation, orzo is treated like risotto, which produces richer flavors and a creamier texture — with almost no stirring.

Though penne is Faith Heller Willinger's pasta of choice for this dish, we tried other types—such as mafalde (broad, rippled noodles similar to lasagna noodles but not quite as wide)—and found they work well, too.

Serve with: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc • saffron-scented couscous • glazed baby carrots • mint-chocolate mousse

You can use good, strong chicken stock for this recipe instead of homemade duck stock — it won't be as rich, but it's better than not cooking the dish at all as it is heavenly!

Accompany this dish with a salad of baby lettuces and sliced sweet onion- such as Vidalia or Maui- and some seeded breadsticks. End with chocolate frozen yogurt drizzled with coffee liqueur or chocolate sauce.

This traditional spongecake is rippled with cinnamon-sprinkled apples.

Cooking rhubarb to the right consistency is trickier than you might think — it changes from barely tender to falling apart in a matter of seconds. Watch it carefully while it's poaching. In this recipe you’ll need to boil the rhubarb syrup to the "soft-ball stage." To determine this, just drop a small amount of syrup into a cup of cold water. If you can form it into a sticky lump that flattens when pressed, it has reached the right consistency. This technique is especially useful with small amounts of syrup, from which it can be difficult to obtain an accurate temperature reading with a thermometer.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr