Dried Fruit

You might be tempted to bake 2 sheets of cookies at a time in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Don't give in to this urge — the cookies must go in the middle of the oven to cook through and brown evenly.

Brining results in moist, tender meat. Be sure to use a large center-cut loin, which cooks more evenly than two smaller pieces tied together. Begin this recipe one day ahead. What to drink: A medium-bodied fruity red, such as Merlot, or a fruity white, such as Australian Sémillon.

Poires au Four avec Sabayon de Sauternes Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Huachinango a la Veracruzana In a traditional Veracruzan household, you would find papas cambray (roasted tiny white potatoes) and a bowl of savory white rice served alongside.

This is the pastry version of the popular Franco-German dessert.

Not quite as sweet as a pecan pie, but with the same caramel candy-like filling.

A natural with pork, the compote is also a sweet topping for ice cream.

The unusual combination of mushrooms and dried apricots makes for a delicious and earthy soda bread.

This dish, or some form thereof, can be found in most Scandinavian countries. The apples and prunes are usually stuffed inside the pork roast, but here we've put them in the sauce.

Think of a plate of pancakes and maple syrup with sage-seasoned sausage patties: This dish has that same mix of satisfying, sweet-savory flavors. Start preparing the strata one day ahead; it needs to be refrigerated overnight before baking.

Zabaglione, the Italian custard made of egg yolks, Marsala and sugar, is used as a frozen filling for a crunchy macaroon crust.

Apples did so well in the colonies that they were exported to the West Indies, and Virginians eventually sold Pippins back to the mother country.

We couldn't have an American potluck dinner that didn't include at least one thoroughly native dish. The wild rice, hickory nuts, and dried cranberries in this salad are a nod to the potluck's origins.