Beverages

Cakes resembling Yule logs are very popular at Christmastime in Canada and the United States. Though you'll see them in bakery windows elaborately decorated with marzipan woodland animals and meringue mushrooms, we went with a simpler but more elegant look. Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 3 1/2 hr (includes making buttercream and brittle)

A quick, colorful and low-cal dessert. What else could you ask for?

I find that littlenecks or tiny cockles are the best shellfish for this dish, because they are delicate. Tarragon complements them, as does parsley or dill.

After experiencing a dazzling meal and the gracious hospitality of Martín Berasategui, one of the top Basque chefs, at the restaurant that bears his name in Lasarte-Oria, he gave us a final taste of his talent in a wonderfully refreshing granizado de cava. The following concoction I devised is very nearly the same, and surprisingly simple.

This recipe is used to prepare <a></a>Espresso-Banana Napoleons .

The sauce is a variation of a classic one from the Normandy region of France, where it's made with apples and Calvados.

Part of the allure of this very grown-up dessert is its texture, which is softly set, rather than bouncy like Jell-O.

A whiskey-spiked variation on classic pecan pie. Serve the tartlets with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

These are great for salads and canapés.

The somen noodles called for in this recipe are a very thin Japanese wheat noodle. They are available in the Asian section of many supermarkets, at Southeast Asian markets and at specialty foods stores.