White Wine

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Elderflowers, with their subtle, honeyed sweetness, are often paired with gooseberries in English cookery. In this particular recipe pink gooseberries are best; the green ones are too tart.

For centuries, the French have been braising duck as a way to tenderize it, whether the duck was wild or tame (use only farm-raised duck in the recipe below). The slight bitterness of turnips nicely offsets the flavorful meat rich but simple sauce. The appropriate wine choice here would be French-splurge a bit for the season and pour a good Burgundy or Chablis with this.

Paper clips are useful for tightly sealing these simple appetizer packages. Foil is a good substitute for the parchment. (Paper clips are not necessary with foil; just crimp the edges to seal tightly.) Be sure to discard any mussels that do not open.

Start this meatless meal with artichokes filled with a lemon mayonnaise for dipping, and serve the risotto with a mixed green and cherry tomato salad and a basket of toasted herb bread. To polish things off, set out a purchased raspberry tart.

To most Americans, Ischia, off the coast of Naples, is relatively unknown. That's a shame, because for centuries this island's thermal springs have been luring savvy travelers for restorative dips; plus, the locals produce some of the best wine in the region. At La Pergola, a family-run inn located on a hill just outside of Forio, guests enjoy some of that homemade wine, along with artisanal jams and olive oil. La Pergola also serves one of the island's most popular dishes, rabbit cacciatore, or hunter's rabbit. Chicken may be substituted for rabbit in this hearty dish.

This can also be made with turkey cutlets.

Reminiscent of fondue, this rich appetizer is lovely served alongside an assortment of crudités and your favorite mulled wine. Be sure to order the uncut wheel of cheese from a cheese shop or specialty foods store.

This dessert traditionally should have twelve different fruits to represent the Apostles. But as long as you have a good variety, it will be delicious.

The herbes de Provence used in this recipes—a blend of dried marjoram, thyme, summer savory, basil, rosemary, fennel seeds and lavender—is typically found in the cooking of southern France. It can be purchased at specialty foods stores and some supermarkets in the States.

Serve these chicken roulades with rice pilaf and steamed baby squash. Slices of purchased chocolate mousse cake would make an elegant dessert.

Serve over freshly steamed rice and garnish with chopped green onions.

Here's a delicious recipe from chef Edwin Goto at The Lodge at Koele on the island of Lanai in Hawaii. In an homage to spring, the rich-tasting risotto is served on a bed of oven-roasted asparagus.

Throughout World War II, everyone who had even a little plot of land was encouraged to grow a vegetable garden. Back then, this comforting soup would most frequently be made from water and contain no chicken, which was a Sunday treat. For convenience, you can skip the first part of this recipe and use six cups of stock or canned broth and omit the chicken altogether. But if you want to make the stock from scratch, be sure to do so a day ahead.

Having relatives who live near Lansing, Illinois, gives Janice and Paul Abrinko a reason to visit that part of the country—and after trying the veal with Gorgonzola sauce and red cabbage at Cafe Borgia, they have one more reason to go.