Onion

"I attended a function that featured wonderful hors d'oeuvres—among them, spicy black bean cakes—from chef Matthias Radits of The Breakers in Palm Beach," writes Ruth Acteson of Lantana, Florida. "Do you suppose he would share his recipe?" The chef serves these little cakes with a mango-avocado salsa, but a purchased salsa would make a fine substitute.

Jerk seasoning — here a spicy blend of garlic, onion, chiles, thyme, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon, though recipes vary — originated in Jamaica and is traditionally used on pork and chicken. Because the jerk marinade can burn easily, the chicken requires slow cooking on the grill, which also helps keep the meat moist.

Steaming, a method often used by Asian cooks, works well with delicately flavored red snapper, since the aromatics (ginger, scallion, chile) are easily absorbed by the fish.

Pappardelle con Stracotto Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 4 hr

My recipe was adapted from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I've changed the meats (a lot) and the seasonings (a bit). I've also tinkered with cooking times and sequence.

The secrets of a great cheese steak are the quality of the ingredients and the thinness of the raw beef. The beef is best cut into paper-thin slices on an electric slicer. If an electric slicer is out of the question (many home kitchen stores sell these small machines inexpensively), try our method below to achieve similar results.

The heat in fresh poblano chiles varies considerably; you may want to use more than one in this dish if they are not too hot. The sautéed vegetables can sit at room temperature for several hours before serving.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Hot pepper jelly is an unexpected taste that picks up the sweetness of the corn and cornmeal. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

Slicing this sturdy cut of beef very thinly after grilling makes it more tender. What to drink: Spicy, jammy Zinfandel from California pairs beautifully with barbecue — as does pale ale.

Marty Rosencranz of River Vale, New Jersey, writes: "Even though I am a professional chef — at the Valley Brook Golf Club in New Jersey — when I cook at home I make dishes that are good but fast. The warm steak sandwich is one of the best things to eat for lunch on a cold day." Croissant steak sandwiches with caramelized onions and horseradish mayonnaise Although this sandwich tastes great with a croissant, any bread can be used.

When I was growing up in Louisiana, nothing made my mouth water like the smell of onion, bell pepper, and celery cooking in my mom's dark Cajun roux. For maximum flavor, use the whole chicken and leave any fat attached. Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

Sabrina Henderson of Gardena, California, writes: "My love of cooking dates back to my junior-high home economics class. After that I took home ec every year I could. My last teacher in high school was the best. He was a former chef who taught us how to make classics like lasagna and chicken cordon bleu. I still prepare those dishes for company."

Hungarian Jewish food is a perfect example of acculturation. Take this piquant cucumber salad, which can be made with one of the three different kinds of paprika — mild, sharp, or sweet. Taken there by the Turks who discovered it in the New World, paprika has been cultivated in Hungary since the sixteenth century.

Beef and Roquefort have a long-standing culinary partnership, but the thick and sweetly smoky slices of barbecued red onions are what really make these burgers great. Keep the meal all-American with chilled beer, homemade lemonade and iced tea. A fresh peach pie with vanilla ice cream is a perfect dessert.