Cookie

Over the past century, pecans have become closely associated with the South. However, walnuts were actually the pecan's predecessor in the Low Country, and were far more popular in earlier times.

Passover without macaroons is like Rosh Hashanah without sweet honey cake or Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie. Sephardic macaroons use lemon zest for flavoring rather than almond extract. The secret to good macaroons is beating the egg whites just right and not overbaking the cookies.

(Klejner) Every year research editor Karen Hallal serves these spiced diamond-shaped cookies for dessert on Christmas Eve. They are fried like doughnuts and coated with powdered sugar. The recipe for klejner, popular all over Scandinavia, was given to Karen by her Danish mother.

We call for English-style bitter orange marmalade (made with Seville oranges and often called Dundee) because other types made the ice cream too sweet and too soft. It's available at specialty foods shops and some supermarkets. This recipe makes about a dozen more florentines than you'll need for the sandwiches, but it's a good idea to have extra in case one or two break — and the cookies are delicious even without the ice cream. Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 7 hr (includes freezing)

The good news here is that there will be leftover ice cream to enjoy at another time.

These cookies are best enjoyed the same day they are made.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Try these tender butter cookies with some spring or summer fruit for a refreshing finale to any of these entrées.

Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 5 hr

Joanne M. Pietroske, Greenfield, Wis.
"I always include these in 'cookie boxes' I make for relatives who can't bake anymore."