Bon Appétit

Aunt Jemima’s Pancake Flour, first marketed in 1899, was America’s original ready-mix food. Until the mix became nationally available in 1910, Americans thought of pancakes only as a hearty wintertime breakfast. But with the convenience offered by a mix, flapjacks were established as a quick anytime meal. Here, we’ve taken a few modern liberties with the favorite breakfast standby, with great results.

Chef Louis Diat created this famous cold soup (without the peas, which are a nice addition) during his tenure at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New York. Diat named the soup after Vichy, the resort town near his boyhood home in France. Hot potato-leek soup had been popular with French chefs for centuries, but Diat-inspired by his own childhood habit of adding milk to hot soup to cool it of-served his version cold. Exactly when vichyssoise first appeared on the hotel menu is unclear, but British food writer Elizabeth David claimed that it debuted in 1917.

For toppings, provide some diced avocado and extra chopped cilantro.

Arlene sometimes uses sliced apricots, peaches or whole strawberries instead of plums for an equally delicious topping.

This streamlined dish gets its appeal from a great flavor combination and a rustic coarse texture. It's nice with roasted pork tenderloin or lean leg of lamb.

Al Forno restaurant put Providence on the culinary map, and grilled pizza-invented there by chef George Germon had a lot to do with it. Here's one to make at home.

Only half of the praline is used in the dessert; the rest will make a nice topping for ice cream, frozen yogurt or stewed fruit.

Celebrate with a bottle of Champagne.

A light-textured baked apricot meringue.

These dessert packages are fun to make and a clever way to serve strudel. Try either tart dried cherries or the sweeter dried Bing - both available at specialty foods stores and most supermarkets.

Start with a radicchio and watercress salad tossed with Sherry vinaigrette, and pass crisp semolina rolls with the pasta. Wrap up the meal with chocolate-covered biscotti, assorted grapes, and some good brandy.

This recipe gives everyone a mini cobbler.