Gourmet

Caldo Verde This soup may be made with regular kale, but lacinato kale (also known as Tuscan kale, cavolo nero, and black kale) has an artichoke-like sweetness that's so flavorful, we even loved the soup without the chorizo.

This cake, bursting with berries, is perfect for a picnic. Dress it up for company with unsweetened whipped cream and a simple vanilla custard sauce.

Lady apples—a small, hard winter apple that's yellow with a reddish cheek—are often used decoratively but we love them for their flavor. They're widely available in markets this time of year. Said to be one of the oldest known apple varieties, they originated in the Forest of Api, France, during medieval times.

"When I was a little girl, letter writing and sending packages was the only contact we had with my grandmother in Switzerland," write Barbara Fayeulle of Longmont, Colorado. "Every year, we would receive a cookie tin from her a couple of weeks before Christmas. When we would open it, the fabulous aroma of traditional Swiss Christmas cookies filled the kitchen and brought my grandmother close to me and to her son, my dad. After she passed away, Spitzbuben disappeared from our Christmas celebrations. Later, while on holiday in Switzerland, I plundered my aunt's recipe box and came upon my grandmother's recipe. What a surprise my dad received when he opened up the tin that Christmas. Spitzbuben were his favorite treat when he was growing up in Switzerland. Now I send him a huge tin of the cookies every year—to the chagrin of my mom, who watches his waistline."

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 45 min

This recipe makes more dressing than you'll need. The remainder makes a great everyday dressing for any type of green salad, or a delicious dip for chicken wings or raw vegetables.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 25 hr

Poaching time for pears will vary, depending on their firmness.

Kale with Sautéed Apple and Onion makes the perfect side dish for these chops Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 25 min

Quinoa, an ancient grain eaten by the Incas, is naturally coated with a bitter-tasting substance called saponin. But once the residue is rinsed away, you have a versatile, nutty-tasting grain that makes a fine alternative to rice and barley. For convenience, grill the bell peppers in this dish at the same time as the vegetables and beef for the main-course kebabs.

"My family has subscribed to Gourmet since 1942 or 1943," says Hope Mihalap of Norfolk, Virginia. "This uncomplicated hors d'oeuvre was first served to me at a cocktail party in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, some 35 years ago." "Since then I have discovered other people who make it. Some thinly slice the onion and top it with the mayonnaise and cheese, while others chop the onion and mix it into the mayonnaise. Either way, it's delicious." This is one retro recipe we're glad to revisit. Of the two preparation methods Hope Mihalap describes, we preferred chopping up the onions — the toasts are a bit easier to eat that way. Active time: 5 min Start to finish: 15 min

For a milder dish, use fewer Thai chiles and seed the serranos before mincing them. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min