Thanksgiving

Dense, moist, and delicious, this bread is great as a quick snack or with a bit of whipped honey butter for afternoon tea.

A quick bread that's full of seasonal flavors.

Bright, fresh flavors star in this holiday salad.

A rich paste of roasted garlic and fresh rosemary is rubbed under the skin and over the bird. It also gives a boost to the gravy. See how to carve a turkey.

Achiote paste is a combination of vinegar, spices and annatto seeds, which have a unique, earthy taste. Basting the turkey with butter and achiote yields a moist, richly flavored bird, and the slightly piquant sauce is a refreshing change of pace from traditional gravy. Offer your favorite mashed potatoes, and pour a Pinot Noir.

All-American apple pie cannot be ascribed to any single region of the United States, of course. But this straightforward pie--no raisins, no spirits, no creamy accompaniments--is a heartland basic.

The sweet-tart filling and the flaky crust add up to one terrific pie.

Sprinkle a ring of chopped toasted walnuts around the edge of the pie before serving.

Present the turkey before carving it. I suggest garnishing it with fresh sage and kumquats.

These potatoes and the fish can be roasted at the same time, using the upper and lower thirds of the oven.

Kumquats lend their bright citrus snap to a no-cooking-required relish.