European

The espresso-flavored cream puff pastry and fluffy coffee and chocolate custard filling vary from the traditional plain pastry and praline buttercream. Delicious on its own, this is even better with the chocolate caramel sauce.

This recipe originally accompanied Grilled Lamb Sandwiches with Grilled Onions . Two easy sauces from a single recipe: plain aioli here and one with red bell peppers .

A staple of Milanese cuisine, polenta is delicious here teamed with tomatoes and spinach, two other ingredients typical of the Lombardy region. The combination of Parmesan and Gruyère cheeses adds richness to the dish. If you prefer, the eggs in the center can be replaced with more spinach. Simply sauté ten ounces of fresh spinach leaves in one tablespoon olive oil, then divide the spinach among the cups. Serve these with Dolcetto d'Alba, a mild red wine from the neighboring Piedmont region.

Extra-virgin olive oil is the the secret ingredient in this moist, dense, lightly sweet cake. Perfect as an afternoon snack or for breakfast with a cup of fluffy cappuccino.

Flat omelets known as frittatas are popular throughout mainland Italy. In Apulia, this version is made to celebrate the harvest of spring onions.

There are a number of variations of this traditional Scandinavian Yuletide drink. Dry red wine, muscatel and sweet vermouth, with aquavit in place of the brandy, may be used. In another version, 2 bottles of dry red wine, preferably Bordeaux, are used with the quantity of aquavit increased to a whole bottle, which is poured over the flaming sugar.

This Franco-American combination of bourbon and bubbles gives you another reason to be thankful. It doubles easily to accommodate the number of guests around your holiday table.

An appealing dish from Matt's in the Market in Seattle, Washington.

Except for the Parmesan cheese, which is pretty much a requirement, this ultra-cheesy cousin of fettuccine Alfredo can be made with any number of four-cheese combinations.

This pesto, from Trapani, in Sicily, is made with almonds and tomato and far less basil than traditional pesto — don't expect it to be green.

These deep-fried dessert pastries, which are sweetened with honey, are known as sebadas.

These are called arancini (little oranges).

(Gâteau de Semoule d’Isabelle) A favorite on the Dugord farm in Normandy, this cake (which is really more of a pudding) wins with everyone. According to Isabelle Dugord, who convinced her grandmother to share the recipe, her family ate this all the time when she was growing up, and it's still her preferred sweet. Isabelle works part-time at a day-care center and always has the children make this at least once while they’re with her. "It's easy to make, healthy, and they all, down to the last child, just love it," she said. It can be served hot, lukewarm, or chilled, and is best the day it is made. Raisins are traditional, though dates or figs are luscious, too.

Greece On many Greek islands, figs are usually poached in a locally produced dessert wine. The combination of red wine, citrus, and spices used here yields equally sweet results. The honey-yogurt cream is similar to an Italian panna cotta.