Quick

Aperol, a popular Italian spirit, is often served on the rocks.

Tender lima beans and fresh corn kernels straight off the cob team up to create a beautiful—and delicious—side dish that's perfect with almost any meal.

Made with airy whipped egg whites and strategically placed yolks, this dish has the soft, yolky flavor of eggs Benedict but without all the hassle. Plus it looks so gorgeous, your guests will feel extra special when it arrives at the table.

Corn fritters are incredibly versatile—they can be drizzled with maple syrup for a breakfast cake, topped with applesauce as a snack, or served with salsa as a side dish. These fritters, adapted from Laurie Colwin, have a wonderfully crisp exterior and a sweet, fluffy middle.

With just the right balance of sweetness from the pomegranate juice and sour notes from the sumac, this layering of flavors accomplishes the enviable task of enhancing the flavor of the steak without overpowering it.

A few simple ingredients come together in an unexpected way to create a delicate beginning for a luxurious dinner.

Breaking down the season's freshest tomatoes and piling them on sourdough toast creates a simple and flavorful first course.

Vongole in brodetto Chef Michael Schlow of Boston's Via Matta created this dish for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

Chef Kerry Simon (celebrity fans at his showy Las Vegas restaurant, Simon Kitchen and Bar, include Kate Hudson and Lucy Liu) is bringing his simple, organic American cuisine closer to the stars with the planned opening of Simon LA at the Sofitel Hotel this month. This succulent salad provides vitamins, including A, C and folate, among others, plus some zinc from the hearts of palm and juicy ruby red grapefruit.

Editor's note: The recipe below is excerpted from Cal-a-Vie Living: Gourmet Spa Cuisine and is part of a healthy and delicious spa menu developed exclusively for Epicurious by Cal-a-Vie.

Editor's note: The recipe below is excerpted from Cal-a-Vie Living: Gourmet Spa Cuisine and is part of a healthy and delicious spa menu developed exclusively for Epicurious by Cal-a-Vie.

Editor's note: The recipe below is excerpted from Cal-a-Vie Living: Gourmet Spa Cuisine and is part of a healthy and delicious spa menu developed exclusively for Epicurious by Cal-a-Vie. This salad was inspired by Chef Dave Armour in 1989 and can be prepared with any lettuce. We like to add hoisin-crusted shrimp to this, just warm enough to wilt the spinach, and, of course, some homemade bread hot out of the oven.

Editor's note: This recipe is reprinted from Rose Hammick and Charlotte Packer's book Great Parties for Kids. For their tips on throwing a kids' summer party, click here. Kids will enjoy helping to make these burgers — let them squelch the mixture into patties and hide a piece of cheese in the center. The burgers can be made and frozen well ahead of time — just remember to defrost them well before cooking.

The all-purpose side: It goes with the lamb, the chicken, the lobster, and anything else you're grilling this summer.

For a richer version, add a little olive oil.

Said to be created for Ernest Hemingway by Constantino Ribalaigua Vert at El Floridita in Havana. Editor's note: This drink comes from And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the World in Ten Cocktails by Wayne Curtis (Crown Publishers) and was featured as a Cocktail of the Month.

This delicious tweak on a classic is from Hip Sips by Lucy Brennan (Chronicle Books, Spring 2007) and was featured as a Cocktail of the Month.