Make Ahead

This works equally well with raw vegetables or chips — or as a sauce for cold poached salmon or shrimp.

For a more colorful presentation of this down-home dip, we reserved some bacon, bell pepper, scallions, and basil for garnish. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Bacalao (salt cod) has been popular in Spain for centuries, especially among the Basques (they brought it back from whaling voyages to northern Europe) and the Catalans (the southern French shared it with them). Although Spain is surrounded by water, in days gone by fresh fish never made it to the interior and sometimes wasn't available - or any good - on the coasts. So, in this strict Catholic country where meat and poultry were not allowed on Fridays, or during Lent, Bacalao became an integral part of the staple diet. Bradade - salt cod pureed with potatoes, olive oil and sometimes milk - is a specialty of France's Provence area that has made its way into the Catalan culinary repertoire as Brandada. If you've never tried salt cod, this is a good initiation. Start soaking the dried fish a day ahead.

A delicious side dish at the Old Manor Estate in Gingerland, Nevis.

Short of time? Then skip the broiling, and serve the crostini cold.

A rich and elegant special-occasion dish.

This little sweetmeat is very popular throughout the Middle East. The Turkish term for the confection, rahat lokum, literally means "throat's ease."

A simple nut crust and a smooth caramel sauce are all the preparation required for this impressive dessert. Be sure to start making it at least 12 hours before serving.

The rich flavor of espresso is a perfect partner to the chocolate. Place each piece of fudge in a paper or foil candy cup and arrange in gift boxes lined with holiday paper.

The following is a moist and chocolaty cake suitable for many occasions. Use it to form the base for Tepee Birthday Cakes .

Soda fountains were a natural fit in drugstores because the skills of an old-time pharmacist, who actually manufactured medicine, translated seamlessly into the skills of a confectioner who concocted exotic syrups for sodas, phosphates, sundaes, and milkshakes. Nowadays, most vintage soda fountains buy their syrups ready made. But there is one sweetshop treat that no one has yet been able to bottle or package so it tastes as good as a batch fresh off the stove: hot fudge sauce.

This satisfying, old-fashioned cake has a delicious ripple of brown sugar and walnuts running through it.

Haricots verts (small, thin French green beans) would also be nice as a side dish, but regular green beans would be fine, too.

These cookies are a delicious variation on the traditional and are reminiscent of rugelach.