Plum

Adding rum or vodka to this plum limeade makes a delicious cocktail. With or without alcohol, the limeade should be served immediately, since it will quickly darken if left standing.

Make the cake a day ahead so that it has plenty of time to chill.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"I'm a social worker running my own practice," writes Susan Haskell of Boston, Massachusetts. "In addition, I'm getting a doctorate in social work. So most of my time is spent either working with patients or writing my dissertation. Still, no matter what's on my schedule, nothing can stop me from going into the kitchen. During the week, I make the time to pore over food magazines to find recipes I want to try. On Saturdays, I cook for friends — because next to cooking, sharing the results is my favorite thing to do." Susan says this can also be made with fresh cherries, sliced peaches, nectarines, or pears.

Use the ripest purple-fleshed plums available to intensify the flavor of this pretty summertime treat.

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

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 6 hr

This recipe was created to accompany <epi:recipeLink ="14220">Grilled Shellfish and Potato Salad with Avacado Salsa, Scallion Oil, and Plum Coulis</epi:recipeLink>.<P> Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Pluots are a great stand-in for true plums in this recipe.

Using the freshest eggs possible is the key to great poached eggs. This dish makes a savory breakfast or, when paired with a salad, a satisfying brunch.

We love these tarts made with Italian prune plums—small oval plums that turn up at the market from late August until mid-October. These meaty plums have a rich purple-red color and hold their shape well when baked. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 3 hr

Ice cream at its easiest: crystallized ginger is mixed into softened vanilla ice cream.