Wine

Porcini and shiitake mushrooms are the delicious difference in this fondue. Other varieties would work well, too.

A simple but flavorful poultry main course.

At the beach in Malta, the locals eat fried rabbit, rather than burgers, with fries. I've adapted the recipe by using chicken and sweetening the gravy with a touch of honey.

The 1766 Tavern at Beekman Arms teams this delicious steak with grilled onion rings.

Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 5 1/2 hr

Serve with: Mesclun salad with an herb vinaigrette and sliced semolina bread. Dessert: Vanilla ice cream sprinkled with crushed amaretti cookies (Italian macaroons) and drizzled with Kahlúa.

Hold the mayo: This rustic side dish is dressed with a Provence-inspired blend of white wine, Dijon mustard and capers. Be sure the potatoes are still warm when you add them to the dressing; they’ll absorb it better, enhancing the flavor of the dish.

The ribs can be braised one day ahead and topped with the breadcrumb mixture shortly before serving. What to drink: Robust Pinot Noirs with firm acid (to cut the richness of this dish), such as French Burgundies from Volnay, and Oregon or California Pinots.

Though Lynch uses flanken for this dish, we prefer the look of regular short ribs.You can often find flanken as well as short ribs at your local supermarket. Both are from the flavorful chuck, or shoulder, portion of a steer; the former are a three-rib portion of short ribs cut through the bone and the latter are ribs cut between the bones.

The rare breeds of Rouen Clair and Duclair from Stone Church Farm (845-658-3243) are small, tender, and have a low fat content, which makes them preferable to commercially available birds. We recommend the aged ducks, which have a richer taste. Order them two weeks ahead to allow preparation and shipping from the farm and request that the necks be removed. Since this recipe calls for a fair amount of soy sauce, it is important to use a brand with well-balanced flavors (such as Kikkoman).

You can save some prep time by asking a butcher to cut the chicken thighs in half for you. This dish is particularly good served over orzo.

Black olives absorb the flavor of red wine and fennel in this warm appetizer.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Begin with endive spears dressed with oil and vinegar. Orzo pilaf with cherry tomatoes is a nice accompaniment. For dessert, have rhubarb compote with crème fraîche.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 25 min Chuck blade steaks are a wonderful cut — luxurious flavor at a bargain price. They may appear under different names — flatiron or book steaks, for instance — in your butcher case, but they're easy to spot: Neat ovals that are slightly larger than your palm and bisected by a slender white ribbon — of gristle.

Add french fries, glazed carrots, and a salad of romaine wedges with blue cheese dressing. End with cheesecake and raspberries.

CHAMPAGNE A dish that's refined yet spirited, much like the bubbly that has made the region so celebrated. For a first course, serve steamed leeks bathed in a simple vinaigrette. What to drink: Champagne, of course.

Make garlic-rubbed baguette toasts for mopping up the sauce. What to drink: Brut Champagne or a dry, aromatic white wine, like Viognier.