Stand Mixer

When we were taking our baby steps as chefs, one of our favorite teachers was Lydia, queen of the soup pots at the Strathallen Hotel in Rochester, New York. She grew up in Austria, so, of course, she knew plenty about baking. When we got to work in the morning, we'd taste that day's "zoop" (as she'd say in her strong accent), then watch as she demonstrated family baking recipes like this one. Grating the frozen shortbread dough into the baking pan gives it a lighter, more open texture; adding a middle layer of raspberry jam makes it stunningly delicious. For a chocolate-raspberry shortbread, substitute 1 cup cocoa for 1 cup of the flour.

Inspired by the poppy seed breads made in many Russian homes, these cookies capture the traditional flavors without the time investment of making a yeast bread. You can substitute 1 cup walnuts (toasted, cooled, and finely chopped) for the poppy seeds if you prefer.

To roll out this dough you will need a pastry cloth and a rolling-pin cover, which are available at kitchenware stores and by mail order from Bridge Kitchenware, tel. (800) 274-3435 or (212) 838-1901.

Often called black cakes, spice cakes flavored with molasses are a perennial on the southern dessert buffet.

The crust of this gorgeous dessert is brushed with a layer of melted milk chocolate for a sweet surprise.

Invented in the 1800s, the baked Alaska was possibly named to commemorate America's purchase of that northern territory. The dessert was a big hit in the fifties because convenience was a watchword, and for all the showy effect it created at the table, baked Alaska was not difficult to make. Restaurants served ornately decorated versions under flaming cascades of liqueur, while home cooks could just bake it in the oven. Either way, the magic was there—a layer of meringue kept the ice cream inside from melting in the oven. These days, store-bought premium ice creams help baked Alaska taste even better and offer a wide range of flavor options.

You can use whatever fruit you have on hand for this quick, pretty dessert.

Every village on Sardinia makes its own special breads, and its rumored that there are five hundred different kinds on the island. This particular one comes from the area around Cagliari and was originally a holiday bread. It is now available every day. Formed into semicircles and called cocoeddi, it is made from a simple starter named biga, which gives the bread its special aroma, flavor and texture by producing a second fermentation. The starter can be kept in the refrigerator up to five days or can be frozen; before being used, it should be brought to room temperature, which takes about three hours.

The lull between the main course and dessert is the best time to top the sweet potato pie with meringue and brown it. Cooks tempted to do this several hours ahead should be aware that the meringue will most likely weep.

"My grandmother was a reporter in New York before she got married and moved to Montana to start a new life on a ranch," writes Joyce Litz of Albuquerque, New Mexico. "At the time she didn't know how to cook, and learning wasn't easy — the place didn't even have running water. Still, she appreciated good food, so she persevered and became a great cook. Later my grandmother taught me ranch-style cooking, a lot of which involved getting simple but flavorful, hearty meals ready in a hurry." Boost the payoff with a scoop of ice cream.

Nancy Pellini Morrow of Haddonfield, New Jersey, writes: "My friend and I had a wonderful meal at Canyon Southwest Cafe in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Everything we ate was top-notch, but the best part was the cheesecake with mixed-berry sauce we had for dessert."

Janet Fletcher, food writer, says, "Sure, I loved sweet potatoes with marshmallows when I was a child, but some tastes you leave behind. Now I prefer a more grown-up preparation, with an intriguing hint of Sherry."