Cheese

Like feta cheese, ricotta salata is made from sheep's milk, but it is milder and nuttier. Avoid prepackaged cheese if possible (most cheese stores will cut it from a wheel for you). It keeps for up to three weeks in the refrigerator. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

Italians call these irresistible treats frico, or "little trifles." Served on their own, they make nice cocktail snacks.

If you love cheesecake, try this classic French dessert.

For a sophisticated touch, crumbled goat cheese is sprinkled over the fennel and broiled until just beginning to brown.

Adding fleur de sel at the end transforms this tart into a delicious cross between a cheese course and dessert.

While apple pie has an all-American reputation, both the fruit and the dessert are of European origin. However, several centuries of apple cultivation and dessert baking have given us de facto ownership, and the pie has become a must on many Thanksgiving tables. Cheese was produced by many of the German dairies in and around Philadelphia. The pie has no bottom crust and is baked in an oval dish, so it resembles a cobbler.

Cheese production increased in the nineteenth century when dairy cooperatives were formed in Minnesota and Wisconsin; now, that area of the country is known for making outstanding cheese. In this recipe, white cheddar goes into a rich and creamy potato gratin that is a great substitute for — or, at a particularly lavish feast, a fine accompaniment to — mashed potatoes.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Bake this at least a day before serving.

Start this meal with garlicky potato soup; serve the pizzas with marinated beets and red onions; and end with orange slices drizzled with Marsala, and biscotti.