Herbs & Spices

Michele Verdi-Knapp of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, writes: "The best eggs I have ever tasted were at Seven Gables Inn in Pacific Grove, California. Thank you for the recipe."

The grapes and vinegar cook down into a sweet, complex sauce. What to drink: A deep, concentrated red. Try: Rosenblum Cellars 2003 Zinfandel, Richard Sauret Vineyards, Paso Robles ($20).

Serve this hearty meal with mustard, a side of mashed potatoes, and ice-cold dark German beer.

Fougasse is a favorite in southern France. It is said that the holes cut into the flatbread served a very specific purpose — they allowed a field worker to slip his arm through and carry the bread to work along with his tools. Serve this with the Bourride or as an appetizer, brushed with a little olive oil.

The compote is a mixture of spiced fresh and dried fruits that are cooked in white grape juice and white wine. Any leftovers are great over ice cream or with plain yogurt for breakfast. Prepare the compote and flans at least one day before you plan to serve them.

When dinner needs to be on the table fast, you can rely on this colorful and flavorful dish. You have the option of spooning the shrimp onto a bed of rice or orzo, or just using crusty bread to soak up the juice.

This sauce would also be terrific served with grilled fish or pasta.

Chef Sal Passalacqua of Dimaio Cucina in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, writes: "My father's family is from Sicily and I spent my teenage years there, so that's where a lot of my culinary influences come from. At first glance, Sicilian cooking seems very simple, but that simplicity depends on using the freshest ingredients and often the combination of sweet and tart flavors. The anchovy pasta is a perfect example." This dish is a variation on the traditional Sicilian pasta made with sardines. Anchovies have replaced the sardines, but the flavors are still very authentic.

Serve this aromatic chicken with a side of Yellow Rice.

These make a lovely breakfast or side dish.

Serve this with plenty of crusty bread.

Any kind of flatbread or crusty roll is perfect with this Moroccan concoction. You could also use the dip as a salad dressing or sauce for fish.

Not all juicers are created equal — the amount of juice extracted varies from brand to brand. The weight ranges for the ingredients below will ensure that you have enough juice.

While this calls for four herbs, just one or two—rosemary and thyme, for example—would be fine.

The sweetness of the pears and honey in this recipe are a nice foil for the savory ricotta.

This syrup is perfect for French toast.