Simmer

Apples were one of the first tree crops to be planted in America and were originally used to make hard cider. The flavor of this soup is predominantly of squash with just a hint of apple for extra sweetness and a touch of acidity.

The word cioppino means “fish stew” in the Ligurian dialect. Like all classic fishermen stews, the recipe isn’t written in stone. Traditionally, the contents of the dish depend on the catch of the day. At Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, you can count on crab being the main attraction; crab cioppino has been a favorite in the Bay Area for many years. The soup can cook all day if you so desire, but for best results the seafood should really be tossed in at the last minute. Serve it with crusty sourdough bread to sop up the juices.

Although Walla Walla, Washington, is home to more than sixty wineries, it is also famous for the Walla Walla onion—a big sweetie similar to a Vidalia or a Maui onion. Legend has it that a French soldier found the seeds of a large, sweet onion on the island of Corsica and brought it to Walla Walla. The onion owes its yummy flavor to a high water and low sulfur content, and makes the sweetest of onion soups. For an extra treat, top the soup with a crouton of French bread covered with melted Gruyère cheese.

Tillamook cheddar cheese is made by a farmer-owned cooperative in Tillamook County, Oregon, that was founded in 1909 by dairy farmers to establish quality control over their product. Today the Tillamook co-op ownership is 150 families strong. And the Portland-based Oregon Brewers Guild, which boasts that Oregon is home to more microbreweries per person than just about anyplace on earth, currently has forty-one small, independent brewing members scattered throughout the state. I can think of fewer toothsome marriages than that of a good, sharp cheddar and a full-flavored beer.

Several species of salmon can be found on the Pacific Northwest coast, and morel mushrooms and lemony sorrel are plentiful in the inland woods. They make a nice combination with a good wild rice blend. Serve the soup with crusty bread.

White chili is usually made with white beans and fresh green chiles rather than the usual red or pink beans and dried red chiles. The bit of cream gives it a very rich mouthfeel. White chili is a wonderful change of pace on a cold winter evening by the fire.

Like much of the world’s good cooking, Creole and Cajun dishes are often whipped up on the spur of the moment using what’s on hand. Gumbo’s hallmark seasoning is filé powder (pronounced “fee-LAY”), made from dried, ground sassafras leaves, which provide both flavoring and thickening. Filé powder is traditionally added at the very end of the cooking time so it does not lose its flavor or aroma.

Peanuts reached the American South through a rather circuitous route: Although they were first brought to the United States from Africa in the 1700s, they appear to have originated in South America. The Incas used peanuts in trade, and jars filled with them have been found in ancient Inca graves. This recipe, which may have first come from George Washington Carver’s pot, makes an unusual but surprisingly tasty soup.

Located in California’s San Joaquin Valley, the town of Gilroy is home to the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival. As the artichoke is celebrated in Castroville, so is garlic in Gilroy. Although garlic soups can be found in many countries (made with chicken broth and red wine in southern France and with saffron and sherry in Spain, to name a couple), the following is a simple California recipe that I have enjoyed for years. This makes a great lunch, served with a crusty loaf of bread, a good red wine, and a salad.

Posole is both an ingredient and a dish. The ingredient is dried field corn soaked in lye or wood ashes in order to loosen the thick skin and make it easier to remove the kernel. It is the primary ingredient in the dish posole, which is a Mexican and southwestern favorite for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day. Posole can be made with either red or green chiles. Canned kernels, known as hominy, can be used, but dried posole stands up the best in the slow cooker. Serve with warm, fresh corn tortillas.

Black beans work so well in the slow cooker that they seem to be made for it. Grilling the onions and chiles adds an extra dimension of flavor to this dish, which can also be made without the chicken for a vegetarian version. This dish is best made one day ahead, then reheated and served when the flavors have had a chance to meld.

Castroville, California (population 6,724 as of the 2000 census), is the self-proclaimed Artichoke Center of the World. About 75 percent of the state’s artichokes are grown there. In 1947, young Norma Jean Baker (later known as Marilyn Monroe) was crowned Castroville’s first “artichoke queen.” And as you might imagine, the local residents have invented a plethora of artichoke-based foods, this creamy soup not the least among them.

This comforting soup is delicately spiced with classic flavors and ingredients of the Southwest.

The sweet potatoes in this comforting soup need nothing more than traditional Southwestern spices and a topping of jalapeños and toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

Rice pudding is one of those desserts you want to come home to. Creamy and comforting—it’s just the thing to reward yourself with at the end of a day. This classic dessert has many shortcuts, but don’t fall into those traps. Really great rice pudding is not hard to make, it just takes some time and a little attention. I promise you that if you invest your time into making this dessert, you will be happy you did!

Rice usually serves as a blank canvas for the rest of the dish. But not this one! This traditional rice imparts a beautiful red hue as well as a flavorful punch. Feel free to experiment with the quantity and variety of fresh chiles in the recipe—using or removing the seeds to control the heat as you see fit.

This is the perfect side dish on so many levels. It brings color and flavor to the table without competing with other dishes, and adds brightness to the table with the fresh cilantro garnish. Once you realize how easy the rice is to make and how well it reheats (allowing you to make it ahead of time), you will find yourself making it over and over again.

Yes, we know that real risotto uses arborio rice, but we also know that it has to be stirred constantly for 40 minutes and that’s not a good way to impress your date. Arborio rice releases more starch as it cooks than other types of rice, making risotto very creamy. This version is still really creamy, but can be prepped ahead of time and finished in less than 15 minutes.

Cacciatore is an Italian word that refers to the rustic cooking style, where the meat is cooked right along with the vegetables. This is a cheap, easy, and incredibly tasty way to feed a lot of people. The chicken can be made completely ahead of time and heated up just prior to serving. Then all you have to do is cook the spaghetti, heat up a loaf of crusty bread, and you are good to go.

I’m not sure why this is called German potato salad. When we made it for my German host family, they enjoyed the sweet-sour flavor, but they had never had anything like it before. Oh well, it’s good and it goes great with the bratwurst. To save time during the party, this can be made ahead and reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave just before serving.