Alcohol

This recipe is versatile. You can use any firm-flesh pears or apples—or a combination; just be sure the size of the fruits you use is uniform. You can also try another dry whole spice (such as cinnamon or cloves) in place of the star anise.

In place of fresh pineapple, you can drain two 8-ounce cans crushed pineapple, roast it, and skip making the syrup.

Sabayon is the French term for zabaglione, a frothy Italian concoction that can be served warm as a sauce or chilled as a creamy dessert on its own. We added a bit of peach-flavored liqueur to enhance the flavor of the fruit, but the sabayon is just as delicious without.

The steeping liquid needs to chill for at least 4 hours, so plan accordingly.

Bosc pears must be very ripe; Anjou, which are juicier, can be slightly firm. Avoid enamel baking dishes, as they cause the syrup to burn.

Beer, traditionally found in this dish, ferments the batter and adds flavor.

This recipe can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; reheat before serving.

This recipe can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; reheat before serving.

The eggplant can also be served as an hors d’oeuvre, cut into bite-size pieces.

After cooking the onion rings, keep them warm in a 200°F oven while you finish the remaining batches.

White asparagus spears are generally thicker than their green counterparts, so be sure to trim the tough ends of the stalk and cook until they are perfectly crisp-tender.

This recipe can be doubled easily. Use a larger steamer, about ten inches in diameter, to cook all four portions at once in the same basket.