French

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.

(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.

Inside each soufflé is a melting chocolate truffle that adds richness and depth of flavor. It's the kind of over-the-top detail that places this dessert in the same league as any served in your favorite restaurant.

Easy sides would be a salad of mixed lettuces with balsamic vinaigrette, a whole wheat baguette and roasted baby potatoes. Finish with apple tarts.

A clever way to present every morsel of a cooked whole artichoke is to remove all the leaves before serving, and use their bits of tender flesh as a stuffing for the hollow artichoke bottom. It takes a bit of time to scrape the leaves of an artichoke clean, so reserve this as a special treat for 2, or at most 4.

Why Madame? Because it has an egg, of course.

For more information about making pâte à choux, see If the Choux Fits...Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 1 hr

(Gratins d'Aubergine, Mozzarella et Pistou) This makes a terrific meatless main course. It would serve eight as a side dish; simply layer the ingredients in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish, then bake and broil it as directed.

The unusual crust is made of brioche dough.

The sweet crispiness of the apples and the tang of vinegar give this potato salad a special lift. It's named after Normandy, famous for its apples and for its apple brandy, Calvados.

Apples are traditional, but peaches are divine.

Lingonberries grow wild in forests all over Scandinavia — they have a tartness similar to cranberries but with an earthy, pinelike undertone.

These toasts are also delicious without the foie gras or with a slice of country pâté substituted for the foie gras.

Blancmange is a jelled molded pudding (similar to a bavarian) that is made with almonds and milk and is served cold, often with a fruit sauce. Originally, the dessert was thickened with powdered almonds; today gelatin is used in their place. This dessert is said to hail from the Languedoc region of France.

A simplified take on the traditional French veal stew. Serve with rice.

You can easily recreate this recipe with a wonderful free-range chicken. As for the candied chestnuts, I recommend using freshly cooked, shelled chestnuts which are still quite sweet!