Gourmet

If you're using reactive metal molds for your panna cottas, make sure there are no rust spots — the acid in the buttermilk and the fruit will react to the exposed rust and cause the panna cotta to discolor. We had the best luck with molds made of nonreactive materials such as stainless steel, glass, and ceramic.

Cynthia Knauer of Allentown, Pennsylvania, writes: "I remember this moist, flavorful cake from my childhood. When I bake it for my family now, it doesn't even last a day — we nibble on it every time we pass through the kitchen. Because it's quick to make and requires no icing, it's a great dessert to take on picnics and other outings." Cynthia Knauer is the mother of our recipe cross-tester, Ian Knauer. She sometimes serves her cake with whipped cream and strawberries, but it's also delicious on its own.

Cardamom loses flavor and aroma quickly, so be sure to store it in an airtight container in a cool dry place — never near your stove. Because the cornstarch in confectioners sugar isn't kosher for Passover, we powdered granulated sugar in an electric coffee/spice grinder and mixed it with potato starch for a similar effect.

California dried apricots are essential for this recipe — they have the tartness needed to balance the sweet filling and macaroon layers. Don't assemble this cake ahead or the crisp macaroon layers will get soggy.

Pommes Anna Chef Louis Gadby made this dish his own with goose fat and a sprinkling of persillade (chopped parsley and garlic). If you can't find goose or duck fat, use an equal amount of butter instead.

If you're making this entire menu in a single oven, roast the vegetables and bake the souffléed gnocchi while the lamb stands (increase the oven temperature as soon as the lamb comes out).

Food editor Maggie Ruggiero learned this method of cooking artichokes from a close friend of hers, Betty Alfenito, "prop stylist and cook extraordinaire." We love the wonderful pan sauce it yields, as well as the way it infuses the artichokes with a subtle hint of garlic.

Acini di pepe, the Italian term for "peppercorns," also refers to tiny pearls of pasta. This dish goes well with lamb chops or grilled chicken.

We prefer wild salmon not only for ecological reasons but for its flavor, which is more mild than that of farm raised. Although limited varieties are available year-round, peak season begins in the spring, when the fish are caught en route to their spawning rivers.

This recipe serves 4 as a main course after you set aside 3 cups to make the mushroom and mozzarella arancini or the mushroom risotto cakes. Otherwise, it serves 6.