Gourmet

Judging by the incredulous, delighted looks on the food editors’ faces when they swallowed their first spoonful of what is essentially cold, airy, whipped lemonade, this 19th-century dessert deserves a renaissance. The warm, sunny sweetness of basil infuses the accompanying custard sauce.

Food editor Maggie Ruggiero was humming for weeks after enjoying a salad of fresh buffalo mozzarella, cucumber, and the Italian wheat called farro at the Manhattan restaurant Il Buco. She set about reimagining it, and her version’s accents—tender lettuce, basil, and a light, lemony dressing—beautifully complement the cheese. Since fresh mozzarella is the star here, it's essential to use the best you can find. We love the kind traditionally made in Italy from the milk of water buffalo for its custardlike texture and sweet, milky tang. Recently, some American producers have gotten in on the act as well.

Chicken thighs are an excellent choice if you're looking for big, meaty flavor that's easy on the wallet. Here, they're seared until the skin is golden-crisp and then roasted with the classic combination of lemon and oregano until juicy.

There's no doubt these are some seriously cheesy biscuits, but dill adds a dose of herbal brightness, making them the ideal partner for grits with rosemary bacon (page 61) and fried eggs.

Honey provides the sweet, and lemon juice the sour, in the Passover dish known as apio, which has origins in Turkey (the Ottoman Empire became a haven for Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition in 1492). As the celery cooks, it soaks up the braising liquid and becomes silky.

Hams with a thick honey glaze can sometimes be too cloying. This recipe takes a more balanced approach that results in a light sweetness and a beautiful shine.

This gorgeous tart features an easy no-bake filling and is topped with fresh strawberries in a rich port glaze.

As a harbinger of spring, artichokes have a special place on the Passover table and in our hearts. One of Roberts's favorite ways to enjoy them is this elegant Roman preparation. (Rome is home to the oldest Jewish community in the Western world—the first Jews arrived in 161 b.c.e. as ambassadors from Judah Maccabee in Jerusalem.) The trimmed artichokes are braised in a lemony broth zinging with garlic and mint, which is later reduced to a satiny sauce.

The color yellow symbolized joy for medieval Arabs, who were cultivating saffron in Spain by 960 c.e. Sephardic Jews were equally inspired by the coveted spice, and golden rice became a holiday and Sabbath tradition. This version, made with basmati rice, is punctuated by caramelized onion, currants, and fried almonds.

An easy marinade of garlic, lemon, thyme, and a dollop of the North African hot sauce harissa make these green olives memorable. If you can, prepare the olives ahead—they improve with age.

The perfect date dessert is one that's interactive: Candied strips of orange peel, fresh raspberries, and crisp almond cookies are all flavorful enough to stand up to a silky dark-chocolate fondue spiked with a shot of warming brandy.

Your subconscious will register "early spring" with this combination of double-thick lamb chops and earthy, grassy Swiss chard. Perfect for Easter dinner, the dish is heightened by the tang of Dijon mustard and the subtle sweetness of plump golden raisins.

A fluffy soufflé, redolent with garlic, the darling of Provence, will suit the occasion, not to mention the meat itself. Since it's baked in a wide gratin, there's enough irresistible crust and ethereal interior for everyone to get a nice serving of both.

Simple savory tarts abound in Provence. A particular favorite includes slow-cooked onions, mellow and nearly as sweet as marmalade, punctuated with hints of the herbs that grow wild all over the region—in this case, fennel. Cooks are known to vary their crusts depending on the affair, from short, buttery versions to pizzalike yeast crusts; the latter is used here to keep the tart light.

The floral notes of Meyer lemons meld with lavender in the most heavenly way in this light, golden cake. The secret to the moistness of the tender layers is olive oil—a common ingredient in Provençal cakes—and they take well to the bright lemon curd and loose billows of lavender-honey cream.

What could be more French countryside than pulling a chilled bottle of homemade (or at least home-doctored) wine from the fridge for a special celebration? This orange sipping wine is a little sweeter and stronger than a regular glass of white, and it's the perfect aperitif for the onion tart with mustard and fennel .

Your eyes aren't playing tricks on you: Yes, after simmering the fish with aromatics, wine, and tomatoes, we advise you to force every last bit through a food mill—heads, tails, bones, and all—for an incredibly lush soup, tasting of a beautiful union between land and sea (the food mill will strain any unwanted solids to be discarded). A garlicky rouille, exotic with a touch of crumbled saffron, further coaxes out the natural richness of the fish.

Just as diced roasted red peppers add a distinctive vegetal sweetness to any dish they appear in, these, left in large chunks for maximum boldness, really complement the meat and its stuffing.

(Pineapple Punch) Though this was considered a "frozen" drink back in the '50s, it's nothing like the stiff, icy, machine-made variety you get today. Finely crushed ice is blended into the cocktail to give it some body; then the concoction is poured over more ice to give it the proper chill. If you want to stick with tradition, fill the glasses with cracked ice rather than regular cubes. To make cracked ice, simply wrap the cubes in a kitchen towel and lightly tap with a rolling pin. 1 1/4 hr (includes cooling syrup)