Berry

These berry-studded flapjacks are terrific topped with sweet butter and maple syrup and accompanied by bacon, ham or sausages. Big fans of molasses will want to pour a little extra over the pancakes.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Cranberries are a standard Thanksgiving ingredient that most people think came from the New England area. But the Ojibwa and Sioux of the northern plains taught early settlers how to harvest cranberries. Today, Wisconsin is an important cranberry-producing state.

Begin preparing the cheesecake one day before you plan to serve it.

Many dessert menus include a colorful sorbet plate-light and refreshing after a rich meal. Offer elegant cookies alongside. For the pink grapefruit sorbet recipe, we prefer Essencia, a dessert wine with the unique flavor of orange muscat grapes. It's made by Quady Vineyards in central California. If you cannot find it, use a Sauternes or a late-harvest Riesling.

Molasses adds richness to this cake. It has a down-home style that's just right for a more casual turkey dinner.

The classic Passover sponge cake transformed: Here it's layered with raspberry sauce, lemon custard and sliced bananas.

If you're in a last-minute rush for dessert, use purchased sorbet.

Pears are eaten widely in this part of the country, and Campari-based aperitivi begin many meals. Here the herb-based drink shows up after supper, adding its festive color and distinctive flavor to an easy-to-make pear dessert topped with a sauce incorporating Italy's famous mascarpone cheese. The pears are even better when accompanied by glasses of the Italian dessert wine Malvasia delle Lipari.