Stone Fruit

When you've had your fill of ripe peaches eaten out of hand, peel the rest for this fruity-tangy sauce. Brush it on grilled pork or chicken toward the end of cooking, and serve extra on the side. And who could say no to a dab of leftover sauce on a cream cheese — topped cracker?

No need to peel the peaches — the peel provides great color, texture, and flavor. Just gently rub off the peach fuzz with a kitchen towel.

Cherry pie is traditionally made with hard-to-find tart pie cherries. In this version, fresh Bing cherries combine with dried tart cherries, preserved Morello cherries, and whole spices to create a deep red, intensely flavored pie. Look for Morello cherries in light syrup at Trader Joe's markets and online at amazon.com.

The light custard is quick to make, but it has to be prepared just before it's served.

For burgers with the best texture, blend the meat and seasoning gently, trying not to overwork it, and then shape the mixture into patties.

This recipe was created by chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill restaurant in New York City and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, New York. It's part of a special menu he created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

In this supereasy, Japanese-inspired dish, salmon is glazed with salty-sweet hoisin sauce and served with a fresh, tangy relish of plums and ginger.

This version of the famous jerk method from Boston Bay in Jamaica is a classic example of why spice pastes work so well in grilling: They're easier to make and impart flavors more directly than a liquid marinade. Sweet-and-sour chutney and an incendiary but hyper-flavorful Scotch bonnet pepper sauce complement the chicken. You probably won't use all the sauce, but extra keeps, covered and refrigerated, indefinitely. Important note: This dish is EXTREMELY SPICY. While adored by spicy-food lovers for their distinctive flavor, the Scotch bonnet peppers that feature prominently here are some of the hottest chiles you can find. If you prefer a lower heat level, you can dial it down a bit by removing the seeds (which contain much of the heat) from the Scotch bonnets or substituting another type of fresh red or green chile that packs less of a punch.

This Latin-inspired combination of flavors works well with smoky grilled pork, and the crispy cumin crust is complemented by both the heat and sweetness in the salsa. These thick-cut chops taste just as good cold — if there are any left.

Either bittersweet or semisweet chocolate will give great results, but bittersweet will pack more intense chocolate flavor.

Silky zabaglione, warm from cooking but also imbued with deep heat from the wine, cloaks the vanilla-scented fruit with a heady richness. Though it's normally made with Marsala, this more subtle version gives the season's first apricots a chance to shine.

With Lidia by your side, this showstopping dessert is foolproof. You'll need to start preparing the dough and filling at least one day ahead.

A chilled soup with a taste of the tropics; start making it one day ahead.

Caribbean ingredients make these beautiful little tarts something special.