Orange

Juana Vázquez-Gómez of Redondo Beach, California, writes: "Growing up in Cuernavaca, just outside Mexico City, I remember my grandmother cooking elaborate Mexican meals every day. My mother continued that tradition, but not in such an all-consuming manner. For her it was a great joy to plan a menu and then invite people to help with the preparation. "The women in my life taught me the beauty of a good meal. I still use many of their recipes today, but unlike my grandmother I don't spend an entire day in the kitchen. Fortunately, my husband and kids like to cook, so I've found a balance between my grandmother's time-intensive recipes and my mother's practicality. " Juana serves these fritters for dessert, but they make a great breakfast dish, too.

Look for chili-garlic sauce in the Asian foods section of the supermarket.

Ground cardamom is worth seeking out for this recipe — it adds another dimension to the dessert. The spice can be found at many supermarkets, Middle Eastern and Indian markets, and specialty foods shops. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr

(Gelat de Crema Catalana i Xerès amb Mel i Figues) The mellow, almond flavor of Amontillado Sherry works especially well in this rich, creamy dessert.

Variant: Eddie Brown

This lovely finale is from Dwayne Fortier of La Reserve in Houston. Begin preparing it well before serving, as the mousse needs to freeze for at least six hours.

If blood oranges are unavailable, simply use the sweetest oranges you can find.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Toasted Coconut Dacquoise with Orange Pineapple Ice Cream .

Here's a tropical take on one of the most popular warm-weather drinks. This rendition is served on the rocks.

One for the nut-lover. A refreshing apple compote is topped with an almond (or hazelnut) sponge. Simple and delicious, it's an ideal Passover dessert.

Malouines At the restaurant, these cookies are about the size of a dime. We found them much easier to work with, however, if we made them a little bigger.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.