Wine

Choucroute is traditionally cooked in champagne but if you wish to be more economical you can cook it in white wine and add a split or two of champagne at the table.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Wild striped bass is an incredible delicacy on the order of wild king salmon. To complement its robust flavor and steak-like texture, we serve it with a beautiful and aggressive squid vinaigrette. This is not a dish for people who are on the fence about eating fish.

Grilled lamb (how special!) is best when marinated overnight. For a less salty flavor, use light soy sauce.

Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 2 hr Traditionally sprinkled over veal, a classic Italian gremolata is made of lemon zest, parsley, and garlic. Chef Odessa Piper's take on it trades lemon and garlic for lemongrass and lime zest, giving the topping a lighter, more citrusy flavor that perfectly complements the mild trout.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"Because my family loves this hearty stew so much, I included it in a cookbook I put together for my children," Joy Smith, Glastonbury, Connecticut. "It makes a comforting meal on cold winter evenings here in Connecticut, and it's a convenient dish that freezes and reheats well."

Serve with: Baked sweet potatoes and sautéed Swiss chard. Dessert: Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.

An intriguing dessert from Restaurant Le Beaujolais in Banff, Alberta, Canada. For the best flavor, be sure to serve the tart warm.

Ninety-nine percent of cava—Spanish sparkling wine—is made in Catalonia. So it's natural that the bubbly beverage has found its way into many elegant Catalan desserts. Here it is combined with the luscious flavors and bright colors of strawberries and oranges in a refreshing sorbet.

Jell-O has been glimmering and shimmering since 1897, and it took America by storm during the 1920s: That was the era for molded salads and desserts. Jell-O has been a staple in the American pantry since then, and in 1997, in celebration of its hundred-year anniversary, the company brought out a sparkling white grape flavor that is mixed with seltzer rather than water, giving it an appealing spritz. Here we’ve added sweet Muscat wine, too.