Wine

At the restaurant, orzo (rice-shaped pasta) is served alongside the gravy-rich lamb.

Serve this rustic dish with French bread or rice to savor every last drop.

If you prefer, the eggs can be fried instead of poached. Do-ahead steps make this dish very manageable — even for six. The sauce can be prepared the day before.

Tom Valenti was the first chef in New York City to cook this great recipe. It can be found in his book Welcome to My Kitchen, just published by HarperCollins.

There's nothing like grilling some meat on the barbecue pit to make a weekend complete. Go ahead and serve this with potato salad. Oh, and remember, when slicing flank steak or London broil, you always want to cut across the grain. I made this for a kicked-up tailgating show on Emeril Live, and it definitely was one of the hits of the party out in the parking lot!

"Recently I had dinner at a fine restaurant with a peculiar name: The Place Next to the San Juan Ferry," says Beth Fogarty Day of Redmond, Washington. "It's right by the water in Friday Harbor, Washington. I'd love the recipe for the mushroom and goat cheese appetizer."

"Not long ago I dined at the Cobalt Tavern in San Francisco's North Beach," writes Georgia Ewing of Edina, Minnesota. "The sage-roasted chicken by chef Guy Ferri was excellent. Any chance he'd share the recipe?"

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The slightly sweet sautéed shallots add a twist to the classic Swiss cheese fondue. In addition to the bread, boiled red-skinned baby potatoes cut in half make great dippers.

The blend of dried herbs known as herbes de Provence usually consists of basil, thyme, rosemary and oregano. Sometimes lavender is also included, which adds a flavor that is the most evocative of Provence. An accompaniment to Herb-and Spice-roasted Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine-Shallot Sauce . Sharpen your chopping and mincing skills with our technique video.

We asked pastry chef Michael Laiskonis if we could compare two versions of the custard in his tart: one made with fresh pumpkin, the other made with canned, which he likes for its reliable consistency. When we tested the two tarts, we were surprised to find that we also preferred the custard made with canned pumpkin — but the choice is yours.

Schiacciata means "flattened down," and in Tuscany the term generally refers to flatbread—what everyone else in Italy calls focaccia. During the wine-grape harvest, Tuscans make a not-too-sweet dessert or snack of bread dough and grapes, said to be of Etruscan origin. Realistically, at this time of year in the United States it will be hard to find a grape flavorful enough for this recipe. If you can't find great grapes, save this recipe for next autumn, when Concord grapes are in season, and substitute the almond cookie recipe.

Truffle oil adds earthy nuances to this summer soup, but don't worry if you don't have any on hand: The soup will still be good without it. Open a nice bottle of Champagne to go with the meal.

What to drink: Fess Parker 2000 Late Harvest Muscat Canelli, Santa Barbara County, or another sweet dessert wine with orange and honey flavors.

The dinner menu at the Terrace Dining Room in Phoenix includes this elegant selection. Orechiette, which means "little ears," is a small, round pasta that resembles-little ears.