Stone Fruit

Chef Tory McPhail writes: "I was 19 years old and just out of culinary school when I first started at Commander's Palace. Despite my training, nothing prepared me for the pressures of working in a fast-paced kitchen, or in a restaurant of such high quality. I think my success came down to sheer effort and a lifelong passion for cooking. Even as a kid I loved playing with cookie and pie dough. "After a seven-year absence, which I spent working abroad and opening a new Commander's Palace restaurant in Las Vegas, I came back to New Orleans last year. Since returning I've enjoyed cooking for my friends. On the weekends we'll go fishing, and then I'll grill our catch and serve it along with a fresh salad. That meal combines the two best things about living in the South — lots of fishing and great fresh produce."

Active time: 30 minutes Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours

Pureed fresh mango gives this cheesecake a light and soft texture and subtle tropical fruit flavor.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

In Indian restaurants, lassi is served with the meal, but we frequently find this exotic "smoothie" too filling to accompany a main course and prefer it in place of dessert. Look for the smaller, yellow-skinned mangoes, which have a more pronounced flavor than the larger, red and green ones.

Adapted from Mnemba Island Lodge

This dessert is a dense and rich chocolate mousse-like cake chilled in a mold.

Purchased pineapple-coconut ice cream and mango and boysenberry sorbets make this dessert easy. The terrine needs to freeze overnight before serving.

This recipe was created to accompany Spiced Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Mango Salsa. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Proof that strawberries aren't the only kind of fruit that's perfect with shortcakes.

The topping spreads as it bakes, forming a crisp cookie-like layer.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(Baked Sweet Cherry Pudding) Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This impressive frozen dessert has a crisp gingersnap crust, cool mango and lime sorbet filling, and refreshing fruit topping.

I once heard that the heir to an amaretti factory fortune was kidnapped for ransom. In my imagination I pictured him leaving a trail of amaretti crumbs in the forest to lead the authorities to his rescue. I can't guarantee that this strategy will work if you're kidnapped, but if you leave a trail of crumbs that leads to this crisp, you can be certain a crisp search-and-rescue party will follow.