Beverages

Here's an updated coq au vin that's from Fringale in San Francisco.

Crepas de Cajeta con Nuez Cajeta (or dulce de leche, as it is known in other Latin American countries) is a thick caramel sauce traditionally made with goat's milk, though cow's milk is also commonly used. If you can't find cajeta, you can substitute dulce de leche, now available in many supermarkets (look for it next to the ice cream sauces). Cajeta is sold at Mexican and Latin American markets.

John C. Ryan, Murphysboro, Ill.
"My wife used to make a better chili than I do, which is how this recipe got its name."

Adapted from Dead Horse Ranch This unusual pâté is made with calves' testicles, also called calf fries. Despite the unique ingredient, bull butter has a milder flavor and more mousselike texture than traditional chicken liver pâté.

Brewed green tea is a delicious, aromatic broth for scallops in this refined rendition of Japan's ochazuke, or "tea rice." The comforting soup-like dish evolved from using hot tea to rinse out rice bowls at the end of meals. Serve this as a light lunch or as an appetizer, followed by teriyaki-marinated chicken or salmon and some steamed Asian greens.

An old-school ice cream scoop turns out beautiful curls of melon; the pink peppercorn and bay–infused wine syrup keeps things interesting.

Ravigote sauce is piquant vinaigrette that typically contains onions, capers, and herbs. The hard-boiled egg in this rendition gives the sauce body. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

"While staying at the Rio hotel in Las Vegas, I went up to the VooDoo Café & Lounge," writes Adam Lantheaume of Billerica, Massachusetts. "I highly recommend the view; from 51 stories up, it is spectacular. I also recommend the apple Martini, which I've been trying to make at home for friends. Can you help?" If you prefer shaken Martinis, simply fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes and add half of the liquid ingredients. Shake, and strain into three Martini glasses; repeat with remaining ingredients. (The Rio uses DeKuyper brand Sour Apple Pucker for the schnapps.)

Serve with: Tomato salad with red onions and blue cheese.

For this recipe, the darker and richer the coffee, the better. We made cone-filtered coffee, but it's equally delicious with perked or plunged coffee. If you only have an electric drip coffeemaker, don't use it for this recipe — too much yield is lost to evaporation. Curry powder may seem like a strange addition to the whipped cream topping, but it's absolutely delicious. You won't perceive any curry flavor per se — when combined with the brown sugar it simply lends fullness and depth.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This hearty Belgian stew gets flavor from caramelized onions and dark beer.